Final Fantasy VIII: Love Can Ignite the Stars
by Jorus C'baoth
Summary: What if Squall had been born female, yet changed into a male to protect her identity? What would happen? What would change? Rated M for sexual situations  nothing gratuitous  and language
1. Introduction

_**INTRODUCTION**_

This is a gender-bended version of the events of the video game _Final Fantasy VIII_. The gender-bending is done by lead character Squall Leonhart. During their fight in the opening FMV, instead of just giving Squall a cut across the face, Seifer breaks a seal which has locked female Squall away (of course, Squall does not know this, she just thinks something about the fight turns her into a girl) for years. And, hopefully, everybody won't be surprised by the whole "Squall's a Sorceress" plot twist that should come _obviously_ from anything related to _FF8_. (If you're reading this introduction, be pissed off at me for revealing several key plot moments.)

I'm not gonna lie to you. Just like the actual _FF8_, _Love Can Ignite the Stars_ is a love story (duh), and one of the two lovers is Squall. Though still the main character in _every_ way, Squall somewhat fills the "Rinoa" role of being the Sorceress that a character falls in love with. This character being Original Character Shibiru Hakashi. He and Squall fall in love in a big way (though it starts out quite stupid, I've gotta work on my romance a little, but it fills out okay for something I never intended to get this far), and that love is integral to the story. It forms a good portion of it.

Another portion is Squall's family. **SPOILER ALERT** Anybody who's played _FF8_ probably knows that Laguna is Squall's father. I'm just going to take a big risk and assume that everybody who reads this story has beaten (or at least gotten to disc 3 of) _FF8_. You should all know that Raine (from Winhill) is his mother, Laguna's his dad, and Ellone is his step-sister. This story takes some liberties. Laguna and Raine have two daughters in this story, Ellone and Squall. Both are actually biological kids (meaning they both came out of Raine and Laguna's their daddy). I use the conceit of Laguna taking leave in Winhill during his army service and he and Raine fall in love, pop comes Ellone, five years later, pop comes Squall and pop goes Raine. Along the way I tie in other pre-existing characters and introduce new ones.

The story unfolds in two paths (similar to the game). That of Laguna and how he raises his kids and why he has to leave them and those repercussions; and that of Squall and how she comes to terms with her family, what her future will be and those repercussions. Along the way, the two paths mirror one another in certain ways (like any good story telling two tales). Neither story is separate, yet you can enjoy both individually without destroying the other. I will warn you: Laguna's story is peppered throughout Squall's story (like the game), so you're probably gonna have to read Squall's and see what I've changed there to read Laguna's and see what I changed there.

If anybody wants to bitch, drop me an email or something. Honestly, I don't care. I didn't even write this story to put it on this site, so it's not really for fan enjoyment. It was more for me to see if I could do it and keep the story straight. I hope people enjoy it, but if you don't, I'm sorry. Understand this, I have a great love for this game and its story, and this was written with a love of the game. Sure, I changed shit, and I'm sorry for that, but that's what it is.


	2. The Beginning of the Journey

_**CHAPTER 1** – The Beginning of the Journey_

_**Author's Note – **the bold words at the beginning of some paragraphs represent a shift, such as a perspective or time change._

**The** way she looked at it, she had two options: Change her name and start over at the Balamb Garden academy, or just keep going as plain old Squall Leonhart.

For the time being, she chose the latter.

It had been a strange thing, getting wounded by Seifer Almasy and getting thrown down to a pile of rocks, then waking up in the infirmary and being informed that her measurements were 34C-24-32, and that her new school uniform was waiting.

Squall, as a guy, had hated uniforms. Only ever wore one when it was absolutely necessary.

Squall, as a girl, was forced to wear one because those where the only clothes she now had.

She sat at her desk in Instructor Trepe's classroom, supporting her head with her left hand leaning against the computer terminal within the desk. The Instructor's class today was boring as hell. Then again, Squall had never _really_ gotten into the classes that much _anyway_. She'd just taken them because she had to have class time to be a SeeD.

"Squall!" She was snapped out of her day dreaming about what she could remember about her family by Instructor Trepe calling her name.

"Yes, Instructor?"

"Day dreaming in class isn't a topic we're studying today."

"Sorry, Instructor."

"Well, that concludes the lesson today." Instructor Trepe stood up from her desk. "All students taking the SeeD exam this afternoon are free to report in the front of the building at the designated time. All students _not_ taking the exam are to be in their classrooms studying for the non-SeeD tests tomorrow. Class, dismissed." Then, as students were filing out of the room, the Instructor said, "Ms. Leonhart, come here, please."

_Oh, shit..._ Squall thought, standing up and adjusting the skirt of her uniform.

As she walked past him, she caught sight of Seifer smirking at her. She _really_ wanted to hurt him.

"Yes, Instructor Trepe?" Squall said as she reached the Instructor's desk at the front of the room.

"You haven't been to the Fire Cavern yet, have you?"

"No. I was gonna go there this morning, but then Seifer and I had our little bout and... well," she waved her hands across her body.

"Well, you can't participate in the SeeD exam today unless you do this, so we're going to have to go ASAP. You've been registered GFs, haven't you?"

"Yeah, I've just gotta confirm the registration on the computer at my desk."

"All right. You do that, and meet me at the front gate, okay?"

"All right."

Squall walked back to her desk and turned on her computer.

GARDEN BASICS

GARDEN EVENTS

SEED

GARDEN SQUARE

GARDEN FESTIVAL

She clicked on the GARDEN BASICS.

GARDEN BASICS

GF REGISTRATION: SQUALL

GF REGISTERED ARE:

GF QUETZEQUATAL

GF SHIVA

REGISTER GF NOW?

[Y/N]

She clicked on Y and waited.

GF REGISTRATION COMPLETE

She shut the computer off, then looked up at the front of the room. The 'Trepies' were standing at the doorway, chatting amongst themselves, while Instructor Trepe was no where to be found.

_Well, guess it's time to go become an honorary SeeD trainee..._

She stood up and walked to the door, where the tallest—and only male—Trepie stopped her in her tracks.

"You better take care of Instructor Trepe, y'hear?" he said, his deep voice resonating in her ears.

"Well, after what happened to me this morning, I'd say she'll be doing a good deal of taking care of _me_." Squall pushed her way through and walked out of the room.

She was at the corner that lead to the elevators when the sound of running footsteps came straight for her. She looked up just as someone collided with her. After falling on her ass, she instantly made sure her panties weren't showing before she looked up and saw a girl with light brown hair in an upswept style doing something similar.

_Great... we both close our legs to make sure a guy didn't try to take our bounty..._

"You okay?" she asked the unknown girl.

"Yeah," the girl responded, standing up and helping Squall up. "My name's Selphie Tilmit, what's yours?"

"Squall. Squall Leonhart."

"You're that girl who used to be a guy?"

Squall felt the color drain from her face. "_Greeeeat_... News travels fast in this school, doesn't it?"

"Hey, I don't mind that you used to be a guy. You're still just one of us girls."

"Thanks. I guess."

"Um, is Homeroom over?"

"Yeah."

"Awwwww! Damnit!"

"You new, or something?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I just transferred here from Trabia region's Garden. I came here to be a SeeD, and because you guys always have great Garden Festivals."

"The Festival Chairman made me an honorary member of the Festival Committee, so I guess I could introduce you."

"Really? Thanks!" Selphie hugged Squall as hard as possible.

"Uh, Selphie? Can I breath, please?"

She let go. "Sorry."

"That's okay. I guess I've still got a long way to go before I'm really just one of the girls..."

"Hang out with me and I'll teach you _everything_ you wanna know."

"Thanks for the offer, but I can deal with it on my own. I mean, don't let guys see your panties, don't let guys see you naked, and come on to guys whenever you need something—it sounds kinda easy."

"Well, then you've got all the basics down."

"Yeah. Um... Shibiru should be at the Festival Square right now, that's down on the the first floor. Let's go."

"Okay."

**Squall** didn't see Shibiru Hakashi—the chairman of the Garden Festival, and self-proclaimed 'boyfriend' of Squall—right away, but did find him working on a girder on the top of the stage they were going to use for whatever the hell they were going to do on Festival day.

"Hey! Shibiru!" Squall shouted up at him, almost making him fall down. He latched onto the girder with all four limbs, like a monkey.

"Wha—what the hell, Squall?"

"Why don't you get your ass down here?"

"Uahau?"

"What the hell did he just say?" Selphie asked.

"He's looking down your uniform." Squall pointed to Selphie's partially unbuttoned uniform, which was showing a good amount of cleavage. "He does that."

"How do you put up with him?"

"What? It's not like I'm _really_ dating him. Though, I gotta admit, he is kinda cute."

Shibiru landed just in front of them, then he stood up. "So, you _do_ think I'm cute."

"I said 'kinda'."

"Well, good enough for now. Hey there, I'm Shibiru Hakashi," he said, the last half directed to Selphie.

"Selphie Tilmit. I came to join the Garden Festival Committee."

"Hey, we can always use cute girls like you and Squall on the Committee. A little estrogen didn't hurt nobody, right Squall?"

"Yeah, I should know. After this morning, I'm swimming with it."

"That's why I like you."

"Wait, so, you two have only been, uh, quote/unquote _together_ since this morning?" Selphie asked.

"Yeah," Squall answered. "He was the one Dr. Kadowaki had give me my new uniforms and underwear."

"Oh, so _that's_ why you call yourself her boyfriend: because you've seen her naked."

"Yep!" Shibiru smiled, rubbing the back of his head.

"Wait, how come you don't sound mad?" Selphie asked Squall.

"Why should I? Like I said, he's kinda cute. And I couldn't exactly tell him to hand me my clothes and leave."

"So, you really like him?"

"I don't _like_ like him. I just... goddamn teenage emotions!" Squall shouted, swinging her arms out and hitting Shibiru in the face. "Oops..." Squall covered her mouth with her hands. "Sorry, Shibi."

**Squall** lead Selphie to the cafeteria.

"This is the cafeteria—good luck getting a hot dog."

"What?"

"I'm serious. The hot dogs here are so damned good that everybody buys them right away."

"Have you ever had one?"

"Only because Seifer and I had to pull cooking duty after one of our fights in the hallway."

"Hmm..." Shibiru said, scratching his chin. "Squall in an apron..."

"I was a guy then, Shibi."

"I can _dream_, can't I?"

"So, what? Do something that forces you into kitchen duty and you get free hot dogs?" Selphie asked.

"Yep."

"Hmm... Squall eating a hot do—" Squall covered his mouth with her hand.

"I _know_ what you mean by 'hot dog', Shibi."

"Fwaury..."

"What?" Selphie asked.

Shibiru grabbed Squall's hand and pulled it away from his mouth. "I said, 'sorry'."

" These," Squall directed Selphie, "are the dorms. Now, until today, Shibi and I would be in the same room, but because of my new condition, I don't know where I'm set up."

"With me," Selphie said.

"Really?"

"Yeah. That's how I learned about you. I asked around about my new roommate."

"Oh."

"So, do you need help moving your stuff?"

"Nah. Shibi'll move my stuff for me. Lemme just grab my gunblade."

"Gunblade? You can use a _gunblade_?"

"What? It ain't that hard. Keep the weight on the handle, swing with your wrists and don't shoot till you see the whites of their eyes."

"That sounds hard for me. I use Nunchaku."

"Y'see, I could _never_ use those."

"Why not?"

"Well, ya gotta have a certain kinda hip movement that I just can't do."

**Squall** was walking Selphie through the library when the PA buzzed.

"Squall Leonhart, report to the front gate, please. Instructor Trepe is waiting for you."

"Aw, damn! I forgot!"

"What are you going to the front gate for?"

"I've still gotta go to the Fire Cavern before the SeeD exam."

"I'm taking the exam. And, I didn't know you had to go to any Fire Cavern."

"Well, guess we've both gotta go, then."

"Yeah."

**Instructor** Trepe was standing at the front gate, still wearing her SeeD uniform instead of her normal clothes. Squall had to think about that—she'd _never_ seen Instructor Trepe in normal clothes.

"Well, Ms. Leonhart and Ms. Tilmit, I see. Somehow I had a feeling you two would be doing this together."

"You did?" Squall and Selphie both said at the same time.

"Yes. Now, let's get going."

**Squall** yawned once they finally reached the Fire Cavern. The trip had been long and boring, with only two sets of monsters attacking them on the way there—a bug type enemy and a caterchipillar each time. She was amazed that she was still as good with her gunblade as she had been before, but she was more amazed once she saw Selphie and Instructor Trepe fight.

Selphie was fast and ruthless with her Nunchaku, while Instructor Trepe used her whip like and extension of her arm. Squall was feeling like the crappiest fighter around compared to those two.

There were two Garden Faculty members standing guard at the Fire Cavern. Both unmoving.

"What's the matter?" Instructor Trepe asked.

"What?" Squall asked in response.

"You look like you're about to go straight into the valley of death."

"Oh, sorry. I didn't know that."

"That's okay. What about you, Selphie, how are you doing?"

"I'm fine, Instructor."

"Good."

They reached the Garden Faculties and stopped. Instructor Trepe stood in front of them.

"These are my students: Senior Squall Leonhart and Senior Selphie Tilmit."

"They _both_ need to enter the Cavern?"

"Yes, both have yet to take the challenge."

"And you, Instructor?"

"First Year Instructor Quistis Trepe, member of SeeD team Beta."

"How long is suitable: ten, twenty, thirty or forty minutes?"

Instructor Trepe turned to Squall and Selphie. "Well, girls, how long?"

Selphie spoke up first. "Well, we're here to acquire a low-level GF, right? I'd say this shouldn't take more than ten minutes."

"Even low-level GF are tough," Squall pointed out. "We'll need twenty at least."

"Have you fought a low-level GF?"

"Yeah, in the Training Simulator in the back room of the Training Center. It womped my ass."

"So," Instructor Trepe spoke up, "what'll it be?"

Selphie answered, "Thirty."

"Okay," she turned to the Garden Faculties, "Thirty."

"Thirty minutes. Any time over and you'll fail the test and SeeD training will be revoked until next year. You may now enter," the Garden Faculties moved aside, allowing the three young women to enter.


	3. The Fire Cavern

_**CHAPTER 2** – The Fire Cavern_

**Squall** had never seen so many Bomb enemies in her _life_ as she had today. The Fire Cavern was _full_ of them, as well as Red Bats and Buels. She actually thought the Bombs looked cute, but the Red Bats and Buels were ugly as all hell.

"The low-level GF in this Cavern is called Ifrit—that's iif-reet, not if-rit, okay?" Instructor Trepe told them as they made their way through. "He's fire-based, so Shiva is going to have to be the GF of choice, as well as any ice-type magic attacks."

Squall had junctioned—assigning summon-type Guardian Force monsters to a bracelet-like device used to bring the GF out of dormancy—Shiva to herself, with Quezequatal junctioned to Selphie. She hadn't _known_ that Shiva would come in handy, but had generally assumed that the Instructor didn't want to use a GF, or had one of her own.

They were walking along a long strip of rock that lead to a circle-like area. Lava was on all sides and in the center of the circle. The heat was immense. Squall had unbuttoned her blouse, revealing the undershirt that was covering her bra. She looked over and saw that Selphie and Instructor Trepe had done the same.

"Is that where Ifrit is?" Selphie asked, pointing to the circle.

"Yes," Instructor Trepe answered. "He'll try to taunt you, force you into doing something stupid. A few Garden Faculties died being placed in bad situations by that monster."

"Don't worry, Instructor," Squall smirked, "we'll take care of him."

They continued on toward the circle. When they reached it, they stopped and waited. They waited the better part of five minutes until a spout of lava came up from the pool and then a creature that was about three human beings tall, with horns and fur and gnarled teeth came out of the lava pool.

"Well, well, well," the deep voice called, a mocking tone. "Three human females. This should be _quite_ a challenge."

"You're damn right it'll be a challenge," Squall said, drawing her gunblade. "One that _I'll_ be happy to give you!"

She ran toward it, jumping just before hitting the edge of the lava pool. She landed on his shoulder, then jammed her gunblade directly into its shoulderblade. She dug deep into it, then was pulled out off of Ifrit and thrown directly at the lava. She only hoped something would happen before she died...

And she was right.

Some kind of force field appeared directly underneath her, allowing her to step onto the rock and rejoin Selphie and Instructor Trepe.

_Weird..._

"That all you got?" she mocked Ifrit.

"All I've got? I'll burn you to death!"

"Bullshit!" Squall raised up the Junction Device on her left wrist. "How's about it, _Shiva_?"

"Shiva?"

A sudden white light came from the Junction Device, then a good portion of the cavern was covered in ice. An ice pillar extended just in front of Ifrit, with what looked to be a young woman about Squall's age inside. The pillar broke, then Shiva stood in front of Ifrit, staring at him.

Ifrit started laughing.

"_This_ is Shiva? This impudent little girl? Ha! I could _melt_ this little wench with my pinky toe!"

"That so, Ifrit?" Shiva asked, raising her hand and creating a large trail of ice going forward from her. Ifrit was frozen in his tracks. "Because I'd say this _little girl_ just froze you."

Squall nodded to Shiva, then returned her to the Junction Device. The ice stayed, keeping Ifrit in a frozen prison. She walked over to him.

"You've got two choices: Join us and never have to fight Shiva again, or lose to her and we capture you and give you no choice but to join us."

"Fine," he growled. "I shall join you."

Squall brought up her Junction Device, pressed the CAPTURE button, and waited for Ifrit's essence to be imprinted onto the device. In seconds, Ifrit was hers.

"Good work, Squall," Instructor Trepe said, patting her on the back. "Now, let's get back to the entrance to the Cavern before the time runs out."

"We're still timed now?" Selphie asked, falling to her knees. "Man, this is just too hard... I grateful you only have to do it once..."

"Let's just go, okay?"

**Squall** collapsed against the gate to the Garden once they returned. Selphie did the same, while Instructor Trepe just passed the two exhausted girls by.

"You two get into your trainee uniforms and meet me by the Garden Directory, okay?" she said, not even stopping.

"Yes, Instructor," both Squall and Selphie said, breathless.

**Squall's** trainee uniform had gone through what she liked to call Shibiru's Hotness Adjustment. What that meant was that Shibiru had made her skirt shorter, shortened the sleeves to her blouse, and had cut off the top couple of buttons, meaning that she'd always be showing cleavage, no matter what she tried to do.

_I look _so _stupid in this uniform,_ Squall thought as she stared at herself in the mirror.

"You look _so_ cute in that uniform!" Selphie shouted, hugging on her from behind.

"Yeah, if I wanna go pick up boys in it!"

"I bet Shibiru likes it."

"I _know_ he likes it. He's the one who _did this_ to my uniform."

"Oh, sorry."

"Well, at least it covers up my ass. That way my panties aren't showing all the time," Squall turned around and looked at herself from the back. "I guess it's time to go meet back up with Instructor Trepe."

"Yep. Race you there?"

"You're _on_, girl!"

Squall and Selphie broke into a run, every so often tripping each other up, trying to get ahead.

**Instructor** Trepe wasn't at the Directory once they arrived. Shibiru, on the other hand, was. So was Seifer, and a student that Squall had always thought was kind of stupid, but was a really good fighter: Zell Dincht. He was as tall as Squall used to be, had short blonde hair in a crew cut, and had a lightning tattoo on the left side of his face.

And almost instantly, he and Shibiru got into a fight over who should go with Squall and Selphie.

"I know Squall, she works better around me!" Shibiru shouted, pushing Zell into the Directory.

"She's been a girl for ten hours! She doesn't 'work better' around anybody!"

"And Selphie's on the Garden Festival Committee, just like me!"

"That just means you both know how to have a damn good party, that doesn't mean shit for a battle!"

Selphie elbowed Squall in the arm. "Hey, those two are fighting over us!" she whispered, an excited look on her face.

"Yeah, but Shibi's still cuter."

"Zell's not bad."

"True. He's got a tight little butt that looks really cute."

"Who do you think's got the bigger dick?"

"Hm... definitely Shibi."

"How come?"

"Because, when I was a guy, I heard a lotta bad things about Zell in the gym locker rooms all the time."

"Wait, the _guys_ knew?"

"From their girlfriends—all of whom he tried to screw."

"Oh."

"Hey, Selphie, do you know whether or not we still have to take gym once we become SeeD members?"

"No. Shouldn't you?"

"Well, I never really thought about it until just now."

Suddenly, Instructor Trepe's voice shouted, "Students!" causing Zell and Shibiru to stop their senseless shouting at one another. "Are you five ready yet?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest. "Good. Here's the team assignments: Squall, Zell, Seifer—Squad C under me and Xu. Shibiru and Selphie, you're both to report to Squad A under Okaido."

"See ya later, Squall," Selphie gave Squall a little hug.

"You, too. And take good care of Shibi, okay?"

"Hey, I can take care of myself," Shibiru said, cracking his knuckles. "I do have the quickest sword-reflexes second to you, sweet stuff."

"Yeah, but I'd rather my best friend _not_ come back to the Garden and tell me that my boyfriend died—understand?"

"Okay." Shibiru leaned over and gave Squall a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, sweetie."

"For what?"

"Calling me your boyfriend."

"You're welcome."

Shibiru flashed her a quick wink, then followed Selphie to Okaido—a SeeD member who'd been there for about six years.

Squall refocused her attention on her other two teammates—Zell and Seifer.

Zell was a seventeen year old preteen who preferred to fight with his fists. He kept his sleeves rolled up, his pant legs too, his hair was always either slicked back or crew cut. He had an illegal Z-Board, which the Garden Faculties would be quick to confiscate. He always kept GF junctioned—he supposedly had a very powerful GF known as Diablo, but that was known only to him—and never liked to use them unless he didn't have a choice. He was a capable fighter, but not somebody you'd wanna have as a friend if you were a delicate, fragile girl like Squall.

Seifer, however, was a different story. Very handsome, awesome in a fight, and always willing to do whatever necessary to show anybody up. He had a scar running diagonally across his face, inflicted upon him by Squall that very morning. His white trench coat was something that everybody hated to see, because Seifer Almasy was the head of the Disciplinary Committee—ironic, considering discipline was something that he lacked. He always hung out with two lackeys—Fujin and Raijin. Most people assumed that those two were lovers, when Fujin actually had a crush on Seifer. Seifer, like most guys since Squall's change, had a crush on Squall.

"Squad C!" Instructor Trepe interrupted Squall's inspection of her teammates. "Listen up! You'll be a team under my and Xu's command—but Seifer will be your field commander."

"What?" Zell whined. "But he's a total freakin' asshole!"

"So you'd rather lead, Chicken-Wuss?" Seifer got in Zell's face to ask the question.

"I'd be a helluva lot better than you!"

"Shut up!" Squall shouted, trying to end the bickering. "Just let the Instructor talk!"

Both young men silenced.

"Thank you, Squall," Instructor Trepe said, bowing her head. "As I was saying, Seifer will be your field commander—and before you say anything, Mr. Dincht, it's because Seifer is the oldest of you. None of you is any more ranked or positioned than the other, yet field command is always bestowed upon the eldest for missions such as these. Once you achieve official SeeD status, it will be Headmaster Cid who decides your team commanders.

"Now, you're actual mission will be detailed to you once we reach the boat. We'll be taking a Garden Car to Balamb, where the boats are anchored. Xu will be delivering your objectives once we get there. Squall?"

"Yes, Instructor?"

"I assume you know how to drive?"

"Of course, Instructor," Squall got red-faced. She'd be driving? With two guys in the car to gawk at her? She'd rather have Shibiru there with her—at least he'd _tell her_ when he was staring at her ass.

"Good, because you're the driver of the Garden Car, let's move."

Seifer muttered, "Great, the hot chick is driving us to the boat."

**Squall** smoothed her short skirt before sitting down in the Garden Car. She started it up, waiting for Seifer, Zell and Instructor Trepe to hurry up and get in the damn car. They all got in, then it was off to the nearby town of Balamb.

Balamb was very small—just basically a street with some houses, a gas station. An offshoot to one side took you to the train station, while the other offshoot took you past the hotel and then to the dock.

Squall took the one to the docks.

A Garden Boat was moored at the dock. With two SeeD members standing guard outside of it.

"SeeD member Quistis Trepe, also instructor. Squad C," Instructor Trepe introduced them.

"Xu is waiting for you, Quistis."

"All right." She turned back to her team. "Let's go."

Squall followed Zell and Seifer and Instructor Trepe into the boat, where Xu was indeed waiting for them.

Xu was a young girl—not months older than Squall. She'd graduated early, which was something no one else in Garden had accomplished. She had shoulder length black hair, was only an inch or two taller than Instructor Trepe, and was definitely a tough fighter. Like Zell, she preferred to fight with her fists.

"Seifer, Zell, and Squall. Two overcompensating guys and a girl who doesn't even know how to act like one yet," Xu said as they entered the boat.

"I know more than most people think."

"Is that why you cut your skirt so short?"

"No, Shibi did that."

"Shibi? Shibiru Hakashi?"

"Yeah."

"Great..."

"What?"

"What's my little brother doing to you?"

"Shibi's your little brother?"

"We're twins."

"Oh..."

"Look, he's not really that bad, once you get past his assholiness."

"I know. That's the only reason I like him."

"Wait, he was talking about _you_?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I went to visit him this morning after Homeroom, and he was talking about a girl that he liked. I didn't know he meant you."

"He either meant me or Selphie."

"No. I'm pretty sure he meant you. You match exactly what kind of body he was talking about."

"Oh, great. Does he talk to you about the bodies of all his potential girlfriends?"

"Not really. I guess you're special."

"So, how come he's not in your squad?"

"No family members in SeeD Trainee squads—that includes squad leaders and squad members."

"Oh."

"Well, you're gonna treat my brother nice, right?"

"Of course, after all, his sister can kick my ass."


	4. Galbadia's Invasion of Dollet

_**CHAPTER 3** – Galbadia's Invasion of Dollet_

"**...is** the communications tower. This is where Squad F will be," Instructor Trepe finished the location briefing. "You, Squad C, will be located here: the city square."

"So we go in, kick some ass, and guard the water fountain?" Seifer asked, boringly.

"Basically," Xu answered.

"Wow. Awesome."

"This is to be taken seriously, Seifer," Xu kicked him in the ankle. "This isn't a little training exercise—this is an actual SeeD mission that we're using as SeeD recruiting. With an attitude like that, it's no wonder why you didn't get in last year."

"Oh, suck my _cock_, sweet ass, I'm just saying that this is boring as all hell. We're securing a _fountain_, for God's sake."

Squall was listening to the briefing while at the same time adjusting her gunblade.

"You really like that thing," Zell's voice came from her right. She turned to see him watching her intently.

"Yeah. It's the only thing I've got that used to be my dad's. I don't even know who he was."

"Oh, sorry."

"That's okay. I know my mom's name, and even what she did for a living."

"What?"

"Well, her name was Raine Leonhart, and she was a bartender at a bar/apartment. That's supposedly how she and my dad met—he wandered into town and asked to rent the room upstairs. Then they fell in love and I came about because of it."

"Hey, dick suckers, why don't _you two_ listen to the briefing? I'm gettin' my ass chewed out over here because I ain't listening." Seifer sat back in his seat after his rant.

"I _was_ listening, Seifer," Squall stuck out her tongue. "And for your information, I'd say it helps your teammate trust you if they know a little bit about you."

"What? Here's all I need to know about you: you're five-foot-six, weigh a little over a hundred pounds, have thirty-four C tits, and you're dating a guy who can't think but five minutes in front of his dick."

"Funny—all of those sounds like _you_," she said, laughing.

"Yeah, _funny_. If you don't shut the hell up, I don't think we'll do good on this mission, y'know that?"

"She's right, Seifer," Xu said, smacking him with a ruler. "You three need to trust one another, and if you don't, this mission won't go good. So stick your holier-than-thou attitude up your ass and get along with your teammates!"

Seifer had a look of extreme surprise on his face.

"And if you make fun of my little brother's slight... _intelligence_ problem again, I'll beat your ass."

"Squall," Instructor Trepe said, "can you go up top and see how close we are to Dollet?"

"Yes, Instructor," Squall said, nodding. She fixed her skirt and climbed up the ladder on the far end of the room. After a lewd whistle from Seifer, she shut the hatch and entered the gun turret on top.

Dollet was quite obvious, due to the massive amounts of explosions and upward trails of gunfire. The beachhead was framed by a dozen or so SeeD ships that had already landed. The one Squall was on would be just another one of those in a few moments. She hit the transceiver button. "Instructor Trepe, we're almost there."

"Thank you, Squall. You may return to the cabin."

"Yes, Instructor." She opened the hatch and dropped back down into the cabin. Zell handed her gunblade over to her, which she slung the sheath over her shoulder and drew the gunblade, making sure it was absolutely balanced for the mission at hand. "We should run aground in about ten seconds."

Sure enough, ten seconds later, Squall was right. They hit the beachhead with a very loud _thud_ and a grinding noise like metal hitting rock. Then, the front door opened and Xu lead the way out of the ship. After her was Seifer, then Zell, then Squall, and finally Instructor Trepe stayed behind. "One is always ordered to stay behind and watch the ship," she said, when Squall asked why she was staying behind.

"All right, listen up!" Seifer shouted to her and Zell, sounding quite leader-like. "We're here to secure the central square—which is that way," he pointed ahead of them. "You will follow my orders without question and do as I say, got that?"

"Sir, yes sir..." Squall said, dryly.

"If you weren't the hottest piece of ass in school, I'd beat you to death," Seifer said, turning around.

**Squall** pulled the hem of her skirt down to cover up her panties as she sat on the fountain. Their journey there had been slow, yet fulfilling. Several Galbadian soldiers had died by either her gunblade, Seifer's gunblade, or Zell's fists. She had to admit—Zell was _quite_ good at beating people to death with his fists.

Squad A's field leader—Shibiru—walked into the area from the way they'd came. His first action was to wave to Squall, which prompted an immediate course of action by Seifer, who grabbed him and slammed him to the ground.

"You tryin' to give away our position, bitch?" Seifer practically shouted.

"Seifer, leave him alone," Squall said, walking over to him and putting her hands on her hips. "He's just here to check and see if we're—" She looked to her right and saw a group of Galbadian soldiers running toward them. She couldn't tell if they could see them, but it wasn't worth the risk. "Quick! Hide!"

Seifer, Zell, Squall, and Shibiru all hid on the opposite side of the fountain. Squall heard a whimpering noise coming from her right. She looked and found a stray dog, which looked as though it hadn't been fed in weeks. It was off-white, with patches of brown and black all over its thin body. It was probably the saddest thing she'd seen since Seifer.

"C'mere, boy," she whispered to the dog, waving her hands toward herself.

"Squall, it's just a stray, leave it alone," Seifer ordered.

"No! As soon as he barks, they'll come over here and find us! Better if they don't see him!"

"Fine, shit..."

The dog walked over to Squall and plopped down on the ground in front of her. She looked over the fountain and saw that the Galbadians were just about gone. The last one stopped and looked around, as if suspicious about something, then followed his comrades. As he disappeared behind the buildings, Squad C and the lone Squad A member stood up and breathed a sigh of relief.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" Seifer shouted. "Just leave the damn thing!"

"No," Squall said, firmly. "I wouldn't leave _you_ if you were dying."

"I'm a human! That's a goddamned dog!"

"The way you're acting now, I don't see a difference."

"Fine. Hakashi: what the hell are you doing here?" Seifer turned to Shibiru and folded his arms across his chest.

"Okaido sent me here to check on you guys, and told me to stay with you if necessary."

"Well, I don't think it's necessary. We're just fine as is."

"Then I ran into Xu, who ordered me to stay with you."

"What?"

"Xu doesn't trust you. And with what you've been like since I showed up, I don't blame her."

"Christ... Bunch of goddamned pansies... Don't fucking trust me..."

"So," Squall said, looking up at Shibiru, "why did Okaido tell you to come check on us?"

"To be honest, I don't think _he_ really trusts Seifer. And he said it was standard procedure."

"Oh. What's going on, anyway?"

"Well, most of the Galbadian soldiers have relocated to the communications tower, that way," he pointed the way the soldiers had all ran. "Other than that, we don't know exactly what's going on. They seem to know that SeeD's here, though."

Squall sat down on the edge of the fountain. The dog was licking her left leg. "Well, Seifer, what do you think we should do?" she asked, looking over at him.

"What'chu askin' me for?"

"Because you're the squad leader, whether anybody trusts you or not."

Seifer spat on the ground. "Okay. Lover Boy," he addressed Shibiru, "what teams are near the communications tower?"

"None. This the closest one."

"Okay. Then we're gonna go see just what they're doing."

"What?" Zell shouted in amazement. "But that's against orders!"

"You always do what you're told, Chicken-Wuss?"

Zell growled. "Don't call me that!" he spat out.

"Whatever. We're goin' and we're goin' now. Lover Boy?"

"Yeah?"

Seifer smirked. "Welcome to the team."

**Squall,** Shibiru and Zell were the only ones taking it cautiously, it seemed. Their path following Seifer was littered with the corpses of Galbadian soldiers.

"He sure loves choppin' people up, don't he?" Shibiru asked. "And you let this guy be your team leader?"

"Wasn't our choice," Squall answered.

They continued up the path until they came to a small clearing, overlooking the doorway to the communications center. Seifer was nowhere to be found, but his gunblade had been the one to chop open the door to the massive fifty meter building. And one look past the door made it obvious to everyone that he had thoroughly enjoyed cutting up, disemboweling and masochistically slaughtering the enemy soldiers.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Squall said, burying her head in Shibiru's chest as he held on to her. He patted her on the back of the head.

"Goddamn... he just doesn't let up, does he?" Zell asked.

"Wait," Squall said, lifting her head up, "where's Squad F? Quistis and Xu said they were the tower team."

"They were taken out when they landed," Shibiru answered. "They got to the beachhead just before Squad A did."

"C'mon," Zell said, "We need to get up top."

They walked inside, Zell first, then Squall, then Shibiru. A very small elevator was waiting for them as they approached. "So," Squall asked, "up or here?"

"Doesn't look like we've got much choice," Shibiru said, stepping onto the elevator platform. Squall and Zell followed. "At least it's cramped in here, so we can—you know."

"Shibi, did you forget there's somebody _else_ in the elevator with us?"

Shibiru looked over at Zell, who had a very aggrivated look on his face.

"Aw, damn it..."

**Sergeant** Biggs of the Galbadian Grand Army hated his life right then and there. He was stuck on the top of the communications tower, at least two hundred feet up where he could die if he fell, and he had to fix the damned comms dish because that lazy bastard Wedge hadn't done it. When he got up there, he saw Wedge laying down on the job, so he told him to go survey the other side of the dish. That would keep him busy.

_The blue wire's connected to the—blue tab. The green wire's connected to the—green tab, right? But there's no green tab! Damn it!_

"Sergeant Biggs, sir?"

Biggs turned around and saw Wedge standing there, looking very nervous. "What is it, Wedge?"

"Sir, there's nothing on the other side of the dish, sir."

"Good, now just stay put while I fix this damned thing."

"Yes, sir..."

Biggs turned back around and returned to his work.

**Squall** drew her gunblade as the elevator rose closer and closer to the top. It was hard to do, as Shibiru and Zell were much bigger than her, and the elevator was cramped.

They reached the top and immediately, Shibiru and Zell moved off to either side as soon as the door opened. They drew their weapons—fists and guns—as Squall walked forward, holding her gunblade ready. There was a man wearing red, with a strange device on his left hand, knelt in front of a circuitboard inside of a small box. "Here we go," the man said, clipping a few wires.

For minutes, nothing happened, then the building began to shake. A wrench fell through one of the slits in the metal floor. As Squall watched, the wrench disappeared before hitting the ground. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach—falling from this height would kill anyone and anything and there probably wouldn't be a body anymore.

"Ah! Done!" the guy in red said, happily. A noise was coming from the center of the building. It steadily began to grow when, suddenly, a strange cylinder shot out of the building. A fourth of the cylinder tilted toward the sea, then opened up, revealing a sharp point in the middle. The four split parts of the top opened further, creating a fan shape until finally they became a circle around the point. The circle then adjusted until it became a satalite dish. A strange electronic sound began emitting from it.

Squall walked over to the red guy and pushed him against the circuit board he'd been working on. "What the hell is that thing?" she asked, looking into his very confused face.

"A little girl? What the hell?"

Squall punched him in the gut, doubling him over. "Don't give me an answer, and this little girl is gonna kill your ass! We're SeeD, and we're here to stop you Galbadian assholes from doing whatever the hell you're trying to do!"

"What we're trying to do? Wait, where the hell is Wedge? Ah! That son of a bitch!"

"Hey, hey! I'm talkin' to you! What the hell are you trying to do?"

"We're turnin' on that thing, you stupid cunt!"

Shibiru walked up to the red guy, gently pushed Squall out of the way and grabbed the red guy by the collar. He slammed him to the floor and dragged him to the edge. "Call my girlfriend that again, and I _will_ toss you overboard, got it?" Squall almost felt happy—a guy she'd barely been dating was protecting her. "Now, answer the goddamned question, asshole: what the hell were you doing?"

"Like I told your little cunt girlfriend there, turning that satalite dish on, dumbass!"

Shibiru pushed him a little closer to the edge, then let go, and kicked him off. The red guy was fast, though, and grabbed the edge almost as soon as he was overboard. Shibiru put his foot over the red guy's hand and was about step on it before Squall grabbed him and pulled him away. "I'm okay, Shibi, and he's not going anywhere," she looked down at him. The hand not holding onto the edge was covered in what appeared to be a gatling gun. "He'll fall eventually. Now, our job's finished, let's get outta here, okay?"

Shibiru looked down at the guy and then knelt down, grabbing him by the collar again. He pulled him up and shoved him back onto the mesh floor. "You touch Squall—or anybody around her or even looks like her—and I'll rip your fucking throat out, got that?"

"Yuh—yeah..."

The red guy stood up and ran to the elevator, pressing the button to go down. Squall almost felt sorry she stopped Shibiru now—that bastard hat taken their only ride down.

"Now we gotta wait," Zell said—the only words he'd spoken since they arrived up top.

"Really?" Shibiru asked. "We could always jump."

Squall looked up at him, he looked angry. She felt sad. "Shibi, please?" She stood right in front of him and put her hands on his chest. "Don't talk like that."

"He insulted you, Squall," he said, looking her right in the eye. "I can't stand for shit like that. What did you do to him to deserve that?"

"I did call him an asshole."

"We're not the ones invading some poor small town."

"Yes we are. Except we're invading it to stop the people who already invaded it."

Shibiru put his arms around and held on to her. "You're right... I'm so sorry..."

"It's okay," Squall said, moving her arms up to hold on to him and burying her head in his chest. "You're a boy... boys can be stupid." She started crying. "I don't mind if you're stupid sometimes."

Shibiru gently lifted her head and kissed her on lips. For that single moment, the whole Dollet situation didn't exist. The whole world didn't exist as far as she was concerned.

**Squall,** Shibiru and Zell took the elevator down as soon as it returned. They left the building and found Seifer standing at the entrance. "Where the hell did you guys go?" he asked, sheathing his gunblade.

"Where did _we_ go?" Squall asked, almost hysterical. "Where the hell were _you_?"

"I was cleanin' up, hot stuff. What the hell were you guys doin' up there?"

"Almost tossin' a guy over the edge," Zell answered, looking at Shibiru. Shibiru shot a look back at him.

"Really? One of you finally grow some balls? Bet it was Squall, wasn't it? Chick grows more balls than the two dudes in the team."

"Shut up, Seifer," Shibiru said, walking past him. "Let's just get back to the boats."

"Shut up?" Seifer drew his gunblade. "Why don't you _make_ me shut up?"

Shibiru didn't make a move. Seifer almost looked like he was about to burst a lobe. He grabbed Shibiru by the shoulder, spun him around and—

—and received a powerhouse punch to the face, sending shards of tooth and trails of blood into the air. A drip of blood landed on Squall's shoulder. She wiped it off. Shibiru picked Seifer up by the collar of his coat and pulled him close. "Nobody gives a damn about you, Seifer, _nobody_. You're constantly acting like you're the king of the goddamn castle but you screw up every damn chance you have, and then you blame it on somebody else! Take some responsibility for the shit you do and _shut your goddamn mouth!_"

He pushed Seifer back down to the ground and started walking away. Zell followed him, and Squall followed him. They all three left Seifer behind.

By the time they got to back to the boats, the rest of the SeeDs and SeeD trainees had also returned. Every other boat was gone. They had suffered few casualties, luckily. Selphie had been waiting by Squad D's boat. "You guys had me worried! I almost thought I lost my best friend! Squall, are you okay?"

Squall giggled. "I'm fine. We didn't really do any fighting."

Instructor Trepe walked out of the boat. "C'mon, kids. We need to get back to the Garden, other wise the two teenage girls who are holding us up will be put in detention for the next week and a half."

Squall and Selphie turned to Instructor Trepe and shouted, "We're not holding anybody up!"


	5. SeeD

_**CHAPTER 4** – SeeD_

**Squall** leaned against the wall outside Instructor Trepe's classroom. To her right was Selphie, and to her left was Shibiru. She blew a bubble and popped it, cutting the silence off with an unnaturally loud sound.

"Jesus," Zell said, speaking the first word. "The hell's everybody so damned tense for?" He was playing with a yo-yo.

Selphie answered, "Well, our asses are on the line here, Zell. If we don't become SeeD members, we get kicked out. I really don't wanna get kicked out, y'know. I do have Garden Festival plans that I wanna see done."

Shibiru smiled. "I'd love to hear 'em, sweetheart."

Squall elbowed him in the gut. "Hey, _I'm_ the only girl you get to call sweetheart, got it?"

"Sorry, 'bout that."

Squall smiled sweetly. "I know you are." She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.

Selphie giggled. Zell smiled. A couple other trainees just shook their heads or laughed.

The only one who made no noise whatsoever was Seifer. He was nursing the wound that was his broken nose. A giant bandage was covering that area of his face. He, too, was leaning against the wall, his arms folded across his chest. He sneered at everyone. His two pals, Raijin and Fujin were to either side of him.

Shibiru knelt down and whispered in Squall's ear, "I don't think anybody's in Instructor Trepe's classroom right now, how's about we... well, y'know?"

Squall smirked. "Well, I dunno about _that_," she whispered back, "but maybe a little couple time'll make me feel less scared."

They walked, hand in hand, to the classroom. As they passed her, Selphie looked at them like 'why are you leaving me like this?'. Squall just mentally said, _Because I'm horny._

**Selphie** watched Squall and Shibiru enter the classroom and shut the door behimd them.

"Goddamnit..." she said, pouting.

"What?" Zell asked. "They were almost meant for each other."

"Squall was a guy before today, y'know."

"Yeah, but you've seen them since this morning, they're like the most connected couple in the building."

"Yeah... y'think I'll ever find a guy that'll treat me like a princess like Shibi does to Squall?"

"Hey, keep lookin'. Maybe, someday."

"Yeah."

Selphie walked over to Zell and sat down next to him. He sat down beside her.

"Just to be clear about this, Selphie, I'm probably not the guy you're lookin' for."

"You sure?"

Selphie looked into his eyes, and saw him looking back at her. She could see that he liked her. She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "How'd ya like that?"

"I could get used to it."

"Good. Because you better."

He smiled. She liked his smile.

**Squall's** blouse fell to the floor as Shibiru climbed on top of her and started kissing every part of her face. She quickly tried to unzip her skirt, but he was gripping her breasts and making her squirm. She moaned as her left nipple was gently twisted, while he continued grope the whole of her right breast. Eventually, their lips touched and their tongues entered one another's mouths.

Shibiru eventually got his pants off, and was wearing solely his plain white briefs. Squall still hadn't gotten her skirt off, but she wasn't in a hurry anymore.

"I thought we decided..." Squall tried to say through kisses and moans, "that we weren't gonna do this?"

"You were the one..." Shibiru began, "who started unbuttoning your blouse."

Squall moaned again. She looked down and saw that Shibiru had, at some point, managed to pull his briefs down, and now he was busy reaching under her skirt and pulling her panties down. She tried to unzip her skirt again, this time managing to get the zipper half way. Shibiru's hand came around back and covered hers, finishing the zipper off. Her skirt fell to the floor and her panties followed, then suddenly she was being filled up with his organ.

"Squall! Shibiru!" Instructor Trepe's voice came from the doorway. They both looked over and tried to modestly cover themselves up. "Get your clothes on, you've been called to the Headmaster's office."

"Um, uh, Instructor, we..." Squall began, but Instructor Trepe cut her off.

"Just get your clothes on and we'll talk about this later, but don't worry about it." With that, she left.

Squall and Shibiru looked at one another. "Maybe we should, uh, get our clothes back on?" Squall said, giggling.

**Moments** later, Squall and Shibiru walked out of the classroom and they headed off with the rest of the trainees called to the Headmaster's office. Squall walked alongside Selphie.

"So," Selphie whispered, "did you find anything out? Does he have a birthmark or anything?"

"No," Squall whispered, "but he _is_ abnormally large. And if we ever do get another chance at that, he'll probably be awesome in bed."

Selphie giggled.

"Girls," Instructor Trepe whispered, walking up behind them, "this isn't the time to compare your boyfriends' sizes."

"Hey, Instructor," Squall whispered, turning to face her, "how come you were okay with Shibi and I, uh, well, in your classroom?"

"I'm only a year older than you, Squall, I'm not _that_ much more mature. I understand the appeal of having a hung boyfriend."

"Thanks, Instructor."

"You can call me, Quistis, y'know."

"That feels weird."

"Why?"

"Because you're still an Instructor."

"Not in a little while."

"Huh?"

**Squall,** Shibiru, Selphie, Zell and several others entered the Headmaster's office from the elevator and stood in front of his desk. Headmaster Cid was seated at his desk, flanked by two Garden Faculties.

The left Garden Faculty spoke first, "You eight trainees preformed explempary during the Dollet mission, and all of you have now been inducted into Balamb Garden's elite mercenary squad, SeeD."

The eight teens looked around at one another and then back at Headmaster Cid. Cid was now standing up. "Congratulations," he said, walking over to each of them. "Welcome to SeeD."

**Squall** stood in her new dorm. It was twice the size of her old two (one as a guy and one as a girl), and it was all hers.

_Wow... lotsa room in here for me. I don't even have that much stuff..._

There was a knock on the door. She walked over to it and saw Selphie standing there in a silky black dress, wearing a pair of four inch heels. She was holding another dress, and another pair of heels. "This is for you," she said.

"For me?"

"Yeah. We gotta go to the dance."

"Dance?"

"Yeah, for new SeeD members. Jesus, I've been here a day and _I_ knew about it."

"Oh, well, I mean, I _knew_ about it, but I didn't really plan on going."

"Shibi's going, y'know. You'll get to slow dance with him."

Squall felt a smile coming on. Slow dancing with Shibiru? Yeah, she could get into that. "Okay, I'll go."

"Wear your favorite panties, because this'll probably be the best night of your life."

**Squall** was leaning against a pillar in the dance hall, wearing a very short white dress and matching heels. She was also wearing a pair of diamond earrings and a necklace with a heart-shaped stone between her breasts. Selphie had helped her with her make up, which she thought was a bit too much, but Selphie said it was alright.

She held a glass of wine in her hand, which had started out full and was closing in on empty. She'd been standing there for fifty minutes and Shibiru hadn't showed up yet.

_Maybe he's watching me right now,_ she thought, _watching me slowly drink this glass and waiting for me to get so drunk I don't remember what happens tomorrow. That would just be mean. I'd rather _remember_ our first night together._

Selphie ran up to Squall, smiling wide. "What's wrong, sour puss?"

"Oh, you mean other than the fact that my boyfriend isn't here?" She took a drink. "Thanks for the dress and the shoes, by the way."

"Hey, you've been a girl for a day, you need more clothes. I went shopping at a place in town the other day, maybe we can both go tomorrow?"

"If I'm not too hung over."

"How much have you had to drink?"

Squall held up the glass. "This, and I'm already feeling like the whole place is spinning."

"Can't hold it?"

"Not really."

Squall took another drink and watched as Shibiru ran up, wearing a nice looking tuxedo. He quickly stopped by one of the servers and grabbed a glass of wine from off his tray. Then he walked over to the two girls.

"Sorry, sweetie, I got caught up talking to Xu," he said, wiping sweat from off his head. "She was, uh, just telling me some stuff."

"Like, what to do with your girlfriend after you've made her wait an hour and drink some wine?" Squall asked, sweetly. "Because there are probably a lot of things you can do to me while I'm intoxicated."

He kissed her on the lips. "That's great, because I've got one hell of an imagination."

**Squall** heard her panties hit the floor right before Shibiru's cock was being thrust into her. She kissed him on the lips while he squeezed her ass cheeks and then kissed his way down to her breasts.

He licked most of her right breast and then her left. Her nipples stiffened as he did, then she moaned with pleasure as he pumped fast and hard into her.

"Oh, God, more..." she whimpered out as Shibiru continued to pump in and out of her tender vagina.

As Shibiru made love to Squall, she came almost instantly. Within minutes, Shibiru came inside Squall. After both of them had cum, they both fell asleep.


	6. Stranger Tides

_**CHAPTER 5** – Stranger Tides_

**Laguna** Loire checked his submachine gun and stood up from his seated position. He looked around the forest he was in and saw that none of his teammates were anywhere around.

_Where the hell am I?_

The thought had not been his, and sounded strange. It almost sounded female.

_What is this place?_ The voice asked.

Laguna shook it out of his mind as Kiros ran up to him. The slim, dark-skinned man held his curved blades backhanded and away from each other. "Laguna," he said, "we're ready to go."

"Orders?" Laguna asked.

"Came down from Deling City five minutes ago. General Caraway wants our debrief."

"Fine. Where's Ward?"

_Ward? And who the hell is Kiros?_

"He's at the truck right now."

Laguna nodded. "Let's go."

He lead the way, Kiros following him, toward the truck they had at the edge of the forest. They weaved their way past caterchipillars, bite bugs and giant mantises. When they arrived at the truck, Ward smiled. "Wondered when you guys were gonna get here," the big man said.

Ward was six-foot-six, three hundred twenty pounds and most of it was muscle. He did over indulge himself a little when it came to lobster, but Laguna forgave him for it. They all piled into the truck and drove out of the forest.

After twenty minutes, they arrived at Deling City, the capital of Galbadia, and stopped right outside the Deling Hotel. Laguna got out, slung his submachine gun, and walked right in.

"Laguna? What the hell?" Ward asked, leaving his giant mace in the truck.

"I wanna see her," he said, simply.

Kiros and Ward followed him, leaving their own weapons in the truck. Afterwards, they all regrouped in the hotel lobby. Laguna walked up to the reception desk and asked, "Is Ms. Heartily playing here tonight?"

"That she is, sir," the receptionist said.

Laguna nodded, then walked down the stairs to the dining hall. He, Ward and Kiros were seated at a corner table, where they were given drinks. Then, they waited. Ten minutes later, a beautiful black-haired girl in a red dress walked down the stairs and into the musicians corner. She sat down at the piano. Laguna couldn't tell what she was playing on the piano, but he knew it sounded as beautiful as she looked.

_I know that, it's Zaiaks' _Found the Lost_ in F Minor._

Laguna frowned as he watched her play it. He knew, absolutely, that he'd never heard that before. He wanted to know what, in his head, was acting as though nothing was the way it should be.

**Twenty** minutes later, they were still sitting at that corner table. Twenty minutes later, that beautiful black-haired girl was talking with thirty or forty different people, socializing with Deling City's rich and famous. Among them, General Caraway, Headmaster Martine of Garden, Chief Lexine Kineas of the Galbadian Military Special Ops unit.

Laguna watched as the crowd around her thinned out, and suddenly, she was alone. He took his chance, despite his legs feeling like two ton bricks.

"Uh," he said, losing his voice in the process. "Uh, My name is Laguna Loire," he finally got out, holding his hand out for a handshake. She gently took it, shook hands.

"Julia Heartily," she said in a musical voice. "Did you come to watch me play?"

"Yuh-yeah. I saw. Very beautiful. What was it called?"

"I don't have a name for it, yet."

"Oh."

"Uh, I know this sounds kinda wrong, and all, since we just met, but can you come to my room later? It's 203."

"Um... sure."

"Thanks."

"Whaddya need me for, anyway?"

"Well, I'd like you to—"

**Squall** woke up, next to Shibiru. She was still naked, but the blankets covered her. Blue moonlight filtered in through the blinds over the window.

_What was that?_ She asked herself. _It felt too real. Who was that Laguna guy, and why was he... well, me?_

She laid back down and tried getting back to sleep. Unfortunately, even with a great looking guy like Shibiru next to her, she couldn't sleep any more. So, she got out of bed, slipped on her underwear, then started rooting through her drawers for something to wear. Selphie had gotten her a great deal of stuff from those stores in Balamb in the time between becoming a member of SeeD and the dance that almost made Squall cream her panties being held against Shibiru and his less than hard eight inch cock.

_Here we go,_ she said to herself, pulling out a plain black skirt. She'd begun to like skirts, having worn one the whole day. She pulled it on and zipped it up. Next, she rooted through for a shirt and and found a white tank top. She put it on and then grabbed her old jacket from on top of her dresser. Next, she pulled on some socks and her boots. She was going to go for a walk through the Training Center.

When she got there, Instructor Trepe was waiting in the hall outside. "You know you're supposed to be in your dorm, Squall."

"_Unless_ you're going to the Training Center."

Quistis smirked. "_Or_ sleeping with your boyfriend?"

Squall felt her heart stop. "You... uh... know about that?"

"Like I said, I know the appeal of having a hung boyfriend, _and_ you wanted to celebrate."

"So, you're not gonna turn me in to Headmaster Cid, or anything?"

"If I was going to do that, you think I'd be standing here waiting for you to show up?"

"How'd you know I was gonna come here?"

"You do from time to time."

"So, what, you just stand there and wait for me every night?"

"No, I just had a hunch you'd come tonight."

"Oh."

"C'mon. I wanna show you something."

Squall followed Instructor Trepe through the Training Center, where they fought nearly every kind of monster there was native to the Balamb region. At one point, they even fought a T-Rexaur, which Squall killed using Shiva and her own Renzokuken technique one after the other.

Eventually, they came to the area exactly opposite the entrance to the Training Center, and Instructor Trepe led Squall to a door that Squall had never seen before. They walked through the door and Squall saw something that amazed her to no end. The Garden, lit up with almost every light possible, as well as two or three spotlights and the hovering ring above it.

"Wow," Squall said, walking up to the window. "It's so beautiful."

"Yeah. A lot of the time, couples come here at night to make out, but nobody's here tonight. I figured we could just talk—y'know, girl to girl."

"Talk? About what?"

"Well, I just wanted to know what it feels like?"

"What what feels like?"

"You were just changed this morning, and thrust into so many dangerous situations, and you took all of it. I don't think I could do that."

"Oh, well... I dunno. I guess... I mean, I thought about Shibi a lot. I wanted to see my boyfriend again."

Squall thought about that. When she'd actually been transformed, Shibiru had been the first person she'd seen at all. He'd walked in, told her what she needed to know, then handed her some clothes. She'd taken them and smiled at him, to which he nervously smiled back.

Looking back at it, she thought it was funny. She was treating him as if she'd been going out with him for months or even years. He was her boyfriend, and she didn't find it weird at all. They'd had sex, and it was like they'd been doing it for forever.

"What is it?" Instructor Trepe asked.

"Oh, sorry. Just... thinking."

"Oh."

"Hey, is this what you wanted to talk about?"

"No, not really. Actually, I wanted to tell you something."

"What?"

"Well... Look, I'm telling you this because you've been my favorite student, my most hard working student and even my most pain in the ass student, but you're the first one I wanted to tell. Back on Dollet, the order came down to retreat, and we were supposed to leave who ever was there to the Galbadians. Even though the comms people told me—ordered me—I told the boat captain to stay behind."

"Why?"

"Because I couldn't abandon you. I needed to see you all get home, back to the Garden. In many ways, it wasn't a smart idea, but I decided it was the right idea. Anyway, it got me a shitstorm of problems when we got back."

"Like what?" Squall asked, nervously.

"I was the youngest-ever instructor in Balamb or any Garden. I'm now, also, the youngest ever instructor to be bumped back to being a student."

"You mean... you're not a teacher anymore?"

"Nope. Just a SeeD member and a senior, like you."

"That sucks."

Instructor Tre—Quistis—just smiled. "I don't mind. I didn't exactly like being an instructor so young. There were seven students in my classes that were older than me that I was teaching. It didn't feel right." She leaned against the railing on the balcony. "So, from now on, I'm not 'Instructor Trepe' anymore. You can just call me Quistis."

"Quis-tis..." Squall said, almost mangling it. "I'm so sorry, if I ever end up calling you Instructor Trepe, will you understand it?"

"Of course." Quistis giggled. "I'll have a hard time heading to the classroom as a student instead of a teacher. You know how hard it'll be to see Headmaster Cid sitting in my desk instead of me?"

**The** next day, Squall woke up again, next to Shibiru. She was nestled up against his chest, her face was buried in his chest hairs. She had no clue when she'd gotten back to sleep, but she was glad that she hadn't had any dreams.

Shibiru twitched next to her, grunting slightly. Squall looked at him as he woke up. "Morning, Squall," he said. "You woke up early."

"M-hm."

He sat up, cradling her in his arms as he did. "You woke up in the middle of the night, too."

"Yeah. I had a weird dream."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Uh-huh. I think... I don't know what I think, really."

"Sorry 'bout that. So, how was last night?"

She moaned. "Great. I never... Oh, God, that was awesome."

He smiled. "Awesome, huh?"

"Yep."

"Glad I can be awesome, sweetheart."

"Good."

Squall got up and put her clothes back on. Shibiru did the same. The whole time, they were kissing and fondling each other.

The PA rang seconds later. _"Squall Leonhart, Selphie Tilmit and Quistis Trepe: Report to the Headmaster's office."_

Squall kissed Shibiru on the lips. "Sorry, babe, gotta go."

"See you later, SeeD Member Leonhart."

Squall smiled, then stuck her tongue out at him. After that, she left.

**Squall,** Selphie and Quistis all arrived at the elevator to the Headmaster's office together. Each was wearing simple clothes. Squall was wearing her white shirt, black skirt and leather jacket. Selphie was wearing a yellow overall dress, and Quistis a black miniskirt and orange short sleve blouse. Each was carrying their weapon in some way or another. Squall's gunblade was sheathed on her back, Selphie's nunchaku were in a holder on her left fore arm and Quistis' whip was encased on her left hip.

They stood silently in the elevator as it rose upward toward the top floor. It stopped, they all got out, and approached Headmaster Cid, who was sitting at his desk, doing paperwork.

"Good morning, ladies," he said, lifting his head up. "Now that Ms. Tilmit and Ms. Leonhart are members of SeeD, it is time for you to partake on a mission of some importance. Ms. Trepe, you will acompany them as their team leader, seeing as you have the most experience."

"Okay, sir," she said, nervously. Squall could tell that she probably wasn't too happy to be put in charge.

"A group in Timber has hired SeeD to help deal with a unique problem they have over there. It involves the Galbadians."

Squall took the advantage of Headmaster Cid's pause and asked, "Um, sir, how come you picked three females?"

"The group in Timber, the Owls, requested it. Their leader, a Rinoa Heartily, doesn't seem to trust male mercenaries."

Squall thought a second. _Heartily? That was a name from my dream..._ She put that behind her as Headmaster Cid continued with his briefing.

"You'll board a train in Balamb, the last one to head for Timber for a week or so."

"A week?" Quistis asked, confused.

"President Deling himself is going to Timber. Going to the old TV station there. Mere hours after you arrive, the entire town is going to be locked down and placed under martial law." He cleared his throat. "This mission could take days, girls. I hope you understand that."

The three of them looked at one another. Squall could see that both Selphie and Quistis looked as nervous as she felt. Quistis was the one to speak first. "Of course we do, sir, and we'll preform to the best of our ability."

Headmaster Cid nodded. "Your train leaves in an hour, I suggest you leave now."


	7. Timber

_**CHAPTER 6** – Timber_

**Squall,** Selphie and Quistis were given a special room on the train to Timber. Selphie figured it was because they were all girls, but Quistis assured her that it was because SeeD had a reserved room on the train car right behind First Class.

Squall laid down on one of the two beds in the room. It felt weird to her to be laying on a bed away from Shibiru, but she also felt relieved that she was away from guys for a little while. She never would have believed this before, but sometimes guys were just too much to handle.

"So," Selphie said, laying down next to her, "what's Shibi like in bed?"

Squall frowned. "I don't fuck and tell," she said. "Besides, it's not like you'll ever meet a guy who'll compare to him."

"_Oh_, so he's _that_ good?" Selphie asked, giggling.

Squall couldn't help but break into giggles, too. "Yeah," she said, "that good." She looked over at Quistis, who was smiling. _Maybe Selphie and me are acting stupid._

Squall turned over on her side, facing away from Selphie. "What'sa matter?" Selphie asked. "Am I ugly or somethin'?"

"I'm gonna try and sleep," Squall said. "I couldn't last night."

"Oh, because you and Shibi were, uh..."

"Yeah, we were."

**Hours** later, and the Timber stop had finally arrived. Squall and Selphie had each fallen asleep on the bed, and both had—according to Quistis—been a pain in the ass to wake up. Squall wasn't surprised about herself—with that weird dream and sex with Shibiru both, she was surprised she'd slept at all that night.

Squall and Selphie stood behind Quistis as some weird looking guy wearing a short sleeve shirt, shorts and a blue skull cap walked up to her. "Hey, you gals lookin' for a good time?" he asked, nervously.

Quistis said, "No. We're here to do some owl watching."

"Oh, owls. Those are a pain in the ass to watch."

"No kidding. Especially female owls."

The weird guy smiled. "Follow me," he said.

The three girls looked at one another. Selphie whispered. "Should we really go with this guy?"

Squall: "I don't think so, either. He gives me the heebies."

Quistis: "We'll never know if we don't try, y'know." She looked at Squall. "Did you just say the 'heebies'?"

Squall rolled her eyes. "Whaddya expect? I've been hanging around with her"—she pointed at Selphie—"too much."

It was Quistis' turn to roll her eyes. "Look, we'll just follow him and if need be, we'll take him down if he tries to screw with us."

Selphie laughed. "Yeah, 'cuz Squall's got a boyfriend back home to 'screw' with!"

Squall stuck out her tongue and followed Quistis, who followed Mr. Creepy. Eventually, they arrived at a train that was stopped on the tracks. Mr. Creepy knocked on the door. "Zone! Lemme in! I got me some pretties here!"

Squall watched him carefully. From the sound of things, it was about to get real ugly. "Really? Three of 'em?"

"Yep."

"C'mon in!" The door opened and Squall pushed Mr. Creepy inside the train car. She knocked Mr. Creepy down in front of his friend—Zone—and jumped on him. Then she drew her gunblade and held it to Zone's neck. "Whoa! Whoa! Lady! We're the Timber Owls!"

Squall lowered her gunblade in amazement and dumbfoundedness. "_You're_ the Owls? But, how come..."

Squall shut up when a girl about her age, wearing nothing but a pair of boots walked into the room. Her long black hair hung to her mid back. She stopped at the entrance to the room and put her hands on her hips. "Watts... have you been causing trouble again?" She shook her head and pouted. "God... We'll, I'm Rinoa Heartily, leader of the Timber Owls. If you'll allow me a moment to get dressed, I'll explain the situation." With that, she closed the door and her receding footsteps could be heard.

Squall couldn't contain herself. "No wonder you guys tried to sneak us on here like we were your hookers—your boss is naked half the time and you don't get any action."

"Squall!" Quistis shouted.

"Sorry..."

"Look, we look up to Rinoa," Zone said, helping his buddy up. "She's fighting back against the Galbadians."

Squall giggled. "Yeah, I bet you _do_ look up to her when she's probably got you on your knees eating her out."

Selphie started giggling. Quistis looked like she wanted to, but knew that she shouldn't at the same time. The three girls sat down on a bench opposite the door they'd entered through. Ten minutes later, Rinoa returned to the car dressed in a blue dress over top of a black undershirt. Unlike the three SeeD divas, she was showing very little cleavage.

"So, you're the three SeeDs that Headmaster Cid said he'd send?"

Quistis stood up. "Yes. My name is Quistis Trepe. The loudmouth," she looked at Squall, "is Squall Leonhart, and the giggle-head," this time she looked at Selphie, "is Selphie Tilmit."

"It's nice to meet you."

"So, how come you asked for three girls?" Squall stood up and asked.

Rinoa looked over at her. "Which one of you is the squad leader?"

Quistis stepped in front of Squall. "I am. Squall's just... well, she asks a lot of questions."

"I can't blame her." Rinoa took a deep breath. "Look, this mission won't be something you'll like to do, but it needs to be done, and I needed female operatives for this." She walked down the hallway, then turned around and motioned for everyone to follow. She continued when everyone was in a room that had a large model. "This train here," she pointed to the train on the model, "represents President Deling's personal train. Few people know this, but whenever he makes a public appearance, President Deling hires women to come to a party he holds for his closest associates."

Squall almost broke out laughing. "So my little hooker comment earlier wasn't far off? You actually _do_ want us basically sell ourselves to Deling's administration?"

"I said it would be something you wouldn't wanna do."

"Oh, believe me, you ain't kiddin' there, sister."

Quistis smacked Squall on the back of the head. "Squall! Just listen, damn it!" She shook her head. "Go on, Rinoa."

"Um, actually, Squall explained it. We're gonna sneak onto Deling's car as prostitutes and get information out of him about why the Galbadians are moving in on other territories."

Selphie asked, "So the Dollet invasion was only part of a bigger game? Galbadia's moving in on other areas?"

Quistis answered, "Headmaster Cid brought this up at the last SeeD captain meeting." She walked over to the model. "How are we going to do this?" she asked Rinoa.

"Well, we've got some clothes for our infiltration. All we need to do is wait for the train to stop here in Timber, and get onboard and—"

Squall cut her off, "Seduce our way to the top?"

Quistis looked at her. "Speak again, and I'm going to dock you some of the pay."

"I'm just sayin' it like it is."

"Look, Squall, I'm not too happy about this plan either, okay? It's just what we've got to do." She looked over at Rinoa. "It's what we're being paid to do."

**Three** hours later, Squall, Selphie, Quistis and Rinoa were dressed and waiting. Squall in a fishnet top, miniskirt and five inch heels; Selphie in a belt (the only thing she had up top), a thong and similar shoes; Quistis had on a similar fishnet top that Squall had, plus a pair of booty shorts and four inch heels; and Rinoa was wearing three bandages (Squall had expressed her condolences for when those had to be taken off) and six inch spike heels. Watts and Zone weren't allowed to see them afterward, for reasons Squall accepted without hesitation.

They met the Galbadian emissary, who eyed them all before leading them into the train car that held President Deling's party. Squall looked around the car and saw every bigwig in the Galbadian government. The mayor of Timber was also in attendance, along with the manager of the TV Station.

Headmaster Martine, of Galbadia Garden, walked up to Deling. "Mr. President, how nice to see you."

"Headmaster Martine."

"The students at Garden have been waiting for you to give another speech since the announcement of the War."

_War?_ Squall didn't understand it. There hadn't been a war announcement since the team had left Balamb.

"Yes, I know. I'll be out there shortly after the announcement I have to make at the TV Station this afternoon."

"Announcement?"

"One the _whole world_ will be surprised to see."

**Deling** smiled at Martine's shocked face. After that, he looked around at the guests and the young women he'd hired for the afternoon's festivities. One in particular caught his attention. She was a brunette, fishnet top and a miniskirt. She reminded him of someone, but he couldn't remember who.

"Attendant," he said to the nearest one, "bring me that girl."

**Squall** was busy trying _not_ to lose her temper at the people who didn't know she had a boyfriend when an attendant walked up to her. "Excuse me... miss," she could tell that part was added on, "President Deling requests your presence."

"Mine?"

"Yes."

_That's weird,_ she thought.

Squall followed the attendant to President Deling and found her knees wanting to give out on her. She didn't want to be anywhere near him. Rinoa's plan was to wait for Deling's party to end, then capture him and replace him with duplicate.

She and the attendant arrived at President Deling and he sent the attendant away. "You name, miss?"

"My name, sir?" Squall asked, shocked that he'd addressed her. _I thought he just wanted me over here to fuck me in front of everybody._ "My name, uh, sir..."

"C'mon, girl, spit it out. I didn't think women like you concealed anything."

_Oh, I want to stick my gunblade into your face nice and slow._

"My name is Squall Leonhart, sir."

"Leonhart... Leonhart—ah! Related to Raine Leonhart?"

"Yeah, she was my mother."

"I always heard she'd had two daughters before her death. Are you the younger sister or the older one?"

_Wait, what? Mom had another daughter?_ "I didn't even know I had a sister. She died shortly after I was born." Another question entered her mind shortly after that: _Wait, what? I was _born_ a girl?_

"So, the younger sister." He smiled and nodded at his two aides. Then, he turned to his party goers. "I thank you all for coming, but some urgent business has come to my attention and I need to take care of it. My attendants will escort you out of the train and back to your respective places. Thank you, all."

Squall didn't understand. Why were they all being ushered out of the train? Rinoa, Quistis and Selphie remained, however, not even being asked to leave. Squall turned back to the President and asked, "What's going on?"

"Did you really think I didn't know about this little operation against me? And to think, even a native Galbadian is in attendance."

Quistis walked up to Squall. "Native Galbadian?"

Squall shrugged. "I didn't know."

The President looked past them straight at Rinoa. "Ms. Heartily, will you please come here?"

Rinoa walked toward him with a confidence that Squall didn't understand at all. She looked as if she was about to lead a war charge. When she reached the President, she brought herself to her full height, accentuated by the high heels she was wearing. "What do you want?"

"You had to know that your line of information came directly from my office. How didn't you expect this?"

"Who says I didn't?"

Squall stepped between them. "What the hell is going on here?" She turned to the President. "How do you know my mom, and how do you know I have a sister when _I_ don't know about it?" Turned to Rinoa. "And if you planed for something like this, why the hell didn't you tell any of us?"

The President laughed, but it wasn't a human laugh. It was like a throaty-snarl kind of laugh. "Good thing the _real_ President had me here to be the bait for him." He laughed again, then his head split apart. It became a large vertical mouth with hundreds of sharp teeth jutting out. Two beady eyes stared at Squall like tiny black holes. His arms split into masses of writhing tentacles. His legs split into eight stick-like spider legs. It nearly made Squall puke. "Ready to join your mommy, Leonhart?"

Squall was scared. Nothing before had ever made her this frightened, though somehow the feeling was familiar. The creature rose a tentacle and shot it straight at her. She crossed her arms in front of her face like a shield, waiting for the blow.

It didn't come. She opened her eyes (when had she closed them?) and saw that the tentacle was hanging there, poised to strike but it seemed unable to. "What the hell?" the creature shouted. It started pushing its tentacle into the invisible barrier between them. The tentacle split, but unlike before, this wasn't meant to happen. Blood fell on Squalls face as the creature pulled its tentacle back like an injured limb. "You little bitch!"

Squall wiped the blood from her face as the creature tried to attack again. Like before, all it did was hit an invisible barrier. This time, however, Squall stretched out her hand and concentrated. She felt something deep within, something like a long-lost power. All of the creature's tentacles began to split apart. Blood splattered everywhere. The creature's beady, black eyes turned red and bloodshot, then burst open. It cried out in excrutiating pain, then collapsed on the floor.

"Wow! Damn, Squall, you've been holding out on us!" Selphie shouted.

Quistis walked up to Squall and placed her hand on her should. "Are you okay? What was that?"

Squall simply turned to her and said, "I don't know."


	8. What to do with Squall

_**CHAPTER 7** – What to do with Squall_

**Squall** sat in a chair after getting her normal clothes back on while Quistis made contact with the Garden and Selphie flirted with Watts and Zone. Rinoa sat on her bed, beside Squall.

"Yes, sir," Quistis said. Squall couldn't hear what Headmaster Cid was saying, but she knew the subject of the conversation was Squall's strange use of force on the fake President. "No, sir. Headmaster, she saved our lives, though. Fine, sir." She hung up, then turned to Rinoa. "Do you have a way out of the city?"

"Yeah. Watts or Zone can take a car."

"Headmaster Cid wants Squall to report to Galbadia Garden, and there she'll be sent back to Balamb."

"I have to go home?" Squall asked. "Why?"

"Well, Squall... There's kind of a test that most girls go through when entering Garden to see if they have any latent or dormant..." she paused as if looking for the right words, "Sorceress power."

"Sorceress power? I'm not a Sorceress!"

"Calm down, Squall. For a lot of people, it's really common to have minute, dormant Sorceress power. I did when I was fourteen, so a lot of girls have it."

"But... If—and I'll say _if—_I have Sorceress power, _that was not dormant or minute!_ Did you see what I did? I practically ripped him in half!"

Quistis sighed. "I'm sorry, Squall. Those were Headmaster Cid's orders and we'll have to follow them."

"But, you'll need me!"

"The hard part's over, Squall. Rinoa, Selphie and I can handle sneaking into the TV Station and capturing the President ourselves."

"I hope you're right."

**Squall** wandered around Galbadia Garden for the better part of an hour before she found Headmaster Martine. The small glimpse of him she'd gotten at fake Deling's party had told her that he was a younger man than Cid, but close to middle-aged.

"Ms. Leonhart, nice to meet you," he greeted her with. "I'm sorry about the circumstances that led you here. Some of my students have been waiting to meet the famed Squall Leonhart for years."

"'Famed'?" Squall asked.

"Headmaster Cid is very vocal in his descriptions during his visits. He has spoken very highly of you for some time now."

"Oh..." she shrugged. "I didn't know."

"Well, you're not expected at Balamb Garden until tomorrow. Feel free to take a nap if necessary."

She nodded. "Thank you, Headmaster Martine. I think I will."

"Perfect. There's a room set up for you in our dormitories, second floor."

"Thank you, again, Headmaster," she said, bowing.

Martine led Squall to the room that he'd spoken of. It was a two-bedroom dorm, similar to the one she'd had at Balamb, only larger. One of the two halves of the dorm was three/fourths of her newer, larger room that she'd gotten for being a SeeD member. The room on the left had dirty clothes dumped on the floor. Squall laughed to herself—it was _clearly_ a boy's room.

After Martine left, Squall walked into the unoccupied room and looked around. It was very spartan—the only piece of furniature other than the bed was a simple dresser. She opened it up and found no clothes in it. She figured Martine and the inhabitant of the room had picked it because the second room had no occupant. Squall figured the guy who lived in this room was lucky—no roommate to deal with.

She shut the door and stripped down to just her bra and panties and laid down on the bed. She could use some sleep after the exhaustion that came from what she'd done. The image of it in her mind still scared the hell out of her.

As fatigue took its toll on her, she pushed the image of the fake President out of her mind, hoping for a happier group of images during her dreams.

Hoping for dreams, instead of nightmares.

**Laguna** woke up to see the smiling face of his four year-old daughte Ellone staring at him. In her held-out hands she held a plate of brown pancakes, covered in syrup and butter. A fork and knife were already sitting on the stand beside his bed. "Mommy made them for you, Daddy."

Laguna smiled. Mommy. He hadn't seen her in almost the four years Ellone had been alive, and she still wasn't ready for him to be with her again, but both he and Ell held out hope (Ell's in the shape of pancakes) that they could be a family again.

"I'll thank her when I'm done with them, sweetheart," he groggily said as he took the plate from her. She jumped up on the bed and gave him a kiss on the cheek, then jumped back down and took off running. Laguna just smiled again. He hoped she never had to see anything he'd seen when he was a member of the Galbadian Army.

Outside the window, a beautiful sunrise painted a picture of peacefulness. He'd chosen Winhill as his home for a reason. It was far away from the Galbadian-Esthar War that had taken the lives of so many of his friends. Kiros and Ward, luckily, were not among them, but Ward had lost his ability to speak. From what Kiros had told him, Ward was working as a janitor at a prison in the desert west of Deling City.

Laguna finished off his pancakes and walked downstairs. He saw the pans and pancake mixes that she'd used to make the pancakes. A note was laying on the table. He picked it up and read it: "You know where to find me, hun."

_Wow... His wife was really flirty, wasn't she?_

Hm... Laguna hadn't heard that voice in years. He thought he'd gotten rid of it.

He washed off his plate and stuck the note in his pocket. He walked outside, onto the cobblestone street square that was the largest populated space in Winhill. Two Galbadian soldiers were hanging around near the water fountain in the middle of the square.

"How goes it, boys?" he asked as he walked up to them. "Either side winning?"

They both saluted. The higher ranked one said, "Colonel Loire."

"I'm not in the army anymore. I'm just a common townsperson."

"Still, sir. It's customary to refer to any military personel, retired or otherwise, by their rank."

"Yeah, I know. So, what's going down? The war isn't on its way here, is it?"

"No, no, sir. We just... Well, the others that come here during their leave say that this is a peaceful place, so we just decided..."

"Ah, I get it. Looking for a calm place to stay for leave. That's how I found this place. This place, and..." He turned around and looked at the second floor window of the building next to his house. It was open, and she was standing there. "Well, you know."

Both men smiled. "So _that's_ why you left the army," the one said.

Ellone ran up from behind him and tackled his legs. Laguna knelt down and picked her up, hefting her up onto his shoulder. "This is another reason. This is my daughter, Ellone. Ell, say hello to the men."

"Hello. Did you fight with my daddy?"

"We were never assigned to his squad, kiddo, sorry."

Laguna saluted the men back, then said, "C'mon, Ell, let's go see Mommy so I can thank her for the pancakes."

"Are you two gonna have sex?"

"Whoa? Who's telling you things like this?"

"Isn't that how you and Mommy made me?"

"Well, yeah, but you're four! I didn't know what sex was when I was four, and I darn sure didn't ask my dad if he was gonna have sex with my mom."

Ellone kissed him on the cheek again. "Mommy tells me lots of stuff, Daddy."

"If she's teaching you about sex this early, she's obviously worrying a little too much."

Laguna walked into the building next door—a bar—and set Ellone down on the counter. He told her to stay and then walked up stairs. As soon as he reached the top, he was shoved against the wall and her lips were on his right away. He pushed her away for a moment and said, "Whoa, whoa... Shouldn't we move this into the other room before Ell sees it? Just because you've been telling her about sex doesn't mean she needs to see it."

"Oh, baby, you _are_ the best father out there."

"Hey, I care for my kid just like any dad does."

She kissed him on the lips.

Deep inside his head, the voice he thought he'd gotten rid of spoke something that he didn't hear.

_Mom?_

**Squall** sat up in the bed with a speed she didn't think she had. She was sweating profusely. Her heart was racing. She had seen her _mother_ in that dream. Raine Leonhart.

_God... does that mean... Laguna's my dad? That Ellone girl is my older sister? Have I been seeing my dad's past?_

She got her breathing under control, stopped the sweating and felt her heart slowing down to a far more normal speed. How could she be seeing her dad's memories? What was causing it?

Squall heard the door into the main room open and close. She quickly grabbed her skirt and her tank top and slipped them on before the door opened. A guy in a brown duster stood in the doorway. He was wearing blue jeans and a cowboy hat as well. Squall couldn't see his face, but something told her it was utter bewilderment that he was showing.

"Uh, hi?" she stuttered out.

"Wow. Headmaster Martine said he was letting a chick stay in the spare room there, but I didn't think you'd be _this_ hot."

"You can cool your flirtations, buddy, I've already got a boyfriend back at my own Garden."

"Dammit. Got any hot friends?"

_Selphie. She'd fall head over heels for you._ "One or two."

"Awesome. So I guess when I escort you back to Balamb Garden tomorrow, you'll have to introduce me to her."

"She's on a mission right now."

"Aw, dammit."

Squall smiled. "I'll introduce you at some point."

"Hmm... Say, I've got class in a few minutes, wanna come along?"

"You're just inviting somebody from outside your Garden to one of your classes?"

"Why the hell not? Doesn't matter what continent or country we're in, Garden's Garden. Classes are all the same."

"They let members of SeeD into your classes?"

"Ah, so it'll be a first."

Squall thought about it for a moment. "Sure, I guess." She decided to leave her gunblade case and her jacket in the room. "I've got nothing better to do, and maybe a class or two will calm me down a little. I just had... a weird dream."

"Name's Irvine Kinneas."

"Squall Loi—Leonhart."

"Huh?"

"Leonhart. My last name's Leonhart." _What the hell was I thinking? I don't even know if Laguna was my dad. My last name's not Loire, so maybe...I dunno. Maybe they just didn't get married. I don't know what Ellone's last name is, but I'm guessing it's Leonhart, too, judging by how the fake President recognized my name. I wish I knew what was going on with me._

**Squall** was surprised to find that Irvine's 'class' was simply study hall. He led her to the library, on the third floor of the building. Galbadia Garden was _much_ bigger than Balamb Garden. The library itself was twice as big as the one at her Garden.

"Hey, Irvine, are there records on old Galbadian soldiers?" she asked.

Irvine frowned. "That's a weird question. I don't know." He turned to the librarian. "Hey, are there records for old soldiers?"

The librarian scratched her chin. "How long ago?"

Irvine turned to Squall. "Seventeen to twenty-seven years ago," she answered.

"Ah, yes. Most of them are still in the service, but those who have died or retired have records as well."

"Can you look up Laguna Loire?"

The librarian mubled the name as she searched for it in the computer. Then she must have found it. "Aha, Colonel Laguna Loire. Retired eighteen years ago after a major skirmish in the Galbadian-Esthar Wars. Moved to the town of Winhill. After that, I've got nothing."

Squall thought for a second, then asked, "Did he have a mission in Winhill sometime before he retired?"

"Um... He took leave there, one year of leave, twenty-five years ago."

"Does it list anything about children?"

"Um... two daughters, that's all."

Squall walked over to a chair and sat down. _Two daughters. No sons. If he's my dad, then that means I was born a girl and turned into a boy for one reason or another. Okay, I can accept that. That could very well be why I've had so little need to get adjusted to the new me. So, the bigger question is... why did somebody turn me into a boy? Is it because I may be a closet Sorceress?_

Irvine sat down next to her. "What's goin' on?"

"Nothing. I'm just trying to figure myself out, I guess."

"Whaddya mean?"

"Well... I think that Laguna guy is my dad."

"You don't know?"

"I don't remember anything about my dad. My mom died in childbirth. I've been at Garden since I was six, and I don't remember much before that."

"Guess you're luckier 'an me. I grew up in an orphanage 'til I was six."

"Sorry."

"Ah, that's okay. I don't mind having grown up in an orphanage."

Squall twiddled her thumbs for a few moments. _How would I have been if I grew up in an orphanage? Little Squall, look at her! Poor little orphan girl, her daddy didn't even want her! Except they'd all be orphans, too. In fact, most people in Garden are orphans. I wonder how many..._


	9. The Truth About Squall

_**CHAPTER 8** – The Truth about Squall_

**The** next morning, Irvine woke Squall up with an ice cold can of Thirsty Burst and wrapped in a towel. She giggled at his attempts to try and get her interested in him. _Yeah_, she thought, _Selphie'll like him._

It was five hours later when they departed Galbadia Garden in a small plane. It took another two hours to reach Balamb Garden.

Squall had never been so happy to see her old Garden again. She nearly fell to her knees and kissed the ground. Far too much had happened to her in the past day that she'd felt like a week had passed since she saw the Garden. Irvine looked as though he had somehow entered a much larger world. He nearly gasped as he saw the main square of the Garden, even though his was much larger.

A Garden Faculty walked up to them as they came closer to the elevator. "Squall Leonhart. Irvine Kinneas. Report to Headmaster Cid's office immediately."

As soon as the Faculty got out of range, Irvine asked, "They always that friendly?"

Squall giggled. "Believe me, sometimes they can be real assholes."

Headmaster Cid was nearly literally buried in paperwork when they arrived. He had one pen stuck behind his ear and was using one to sign the paperwork. As they entered the room, he looked up and smiled. "Ah, Squall. How are you?"

"Headmaster, I know I'm supposed to check in for a medical test, but I'd like to know a few things, first."

"Yes, what is it?"

"Did you know anything about my family when I got here?"

He set both his pens down on the desk and stood from his chair. He walked around to the front of the desk. "I had a feeling this day would come and soon." He took a deep breath. "Your mother you already knew. Raine Leonhart. She was my wife's friend. And your father, I'm certain you have a clue about him, otherwise you wouldn't be asking. Your father is Laguna Loire. He was a Galbadian soldier who had quickly risen up in the military ranks and became a colonel."

"And Ellone, my sister?"

"Oh, Ell's around here somewhere. Well, not _here_ as in the Garden, but around."

"What about my dad? Is he still alive?"

"Yes. He is. I don't know where, though. I haven't seen your father in years."

"Why didn't anybody tell me?"

"Because of what you are, Squall."

"What I am? Whaddya mean?"

"Two reasons. Few people are so native Galbadian as you. Your parents, their parents and their parents before them, dating back to the earliest sightings of humans on the Galbadian continent. As you know, Galbadians themselves are rarely liked in any nation on the planet. Such a pure-blooded Galbadian as yourself, equally so."

"And what's the other reason?"

"You're also one of three natural-born Sorceresses in history."

"_What_?"

"Your natural abilites had been kept dormant. Squall, I hate to say this to you, but if anyone were to find out what you are, you'd be public enemy number one."

Irvine piped up. "Except in Galbadian territory."

Cid nodded. "That's true. Especially after President Deling's announcement yesterday."

Squall asked, "What announcement? Did Quistis and Selphie's mission fail?"

"Unfortunately. And as far as the announcement. Galbadia is now under control of Sorceress Edea."

**Squall** sat in the infirmary as Dr. Kadowaki went through the motions of giving her a test to see if she had any Sorceress abilities. "Why do I have to do this if I'm one of the only natural Sorceresses in history?"

The doctor smiled. "Because Headmaster Cid wants everyone else to be at ease. If the majority of the students finds out that you're a Sorceress, do you realize the effects? SeeDs are even trained to fight Sorceresses."

"But I'm not a bad Sorceress."

"Of course not, kiddo, but few people put the claims of the accused over their own personal prejudice."

"I know. Did you know all about me?"

"Yes, and I'm sorry about it all."

"It's okay. Anything else I need to know? Am I healthy? Can I have kids?"

"Of course. In fact, I'll even tell you why they disguised you as a boy."

"I kinda figured out a reason. Is it because I'm so dangerous? That because I'm a natural-born Sorceress, that makes me all the worse?"

"You hit it right on the head, girl. Y'see, natural-born Sorceresses, the other two we know of, anyway, gain their power from anything and everything."

"So, no matter what, I'm gonna get more powerful?"

"No matter what. This is what makes natural-born Sorceresses more prone to the corruption that every Sorceress goes through at some point. You gain power from using magic attacks, using GFs, even just sitting there. The kinetic energy of the bed you're sitting on right now is empowering you as you sit there."

"I'm like a walking Energizer?"

"A walking _recharging_ Energizer. That has absolutely no limit to how much charge it can hold."

"That's too much power. Especially for one seventeen year-old girl who's just finding out who her parents are and that she's... I'm just not the right person to be born a Sorceress."

"Nobody is. The last two were Adel and Seloma. Seloma nearly destroyed the planet with her power, and Adel took over the Esthar continent and enslaved it for two hundred years."

Squall raised her head. "Two hundred years?"

"Sorceresses live very long lives, dear. Seloma was almost a thousand when she was finally killed, and Adel's supposedly still alive, frozen in some meat locker in Esthar."

"So, if somebody doesn't off me because I'm an evil witch, I'm gonna grow into a shrivelled up thousand year-old prune?"

Dr. Kadowaki laughed. "No, no, Squall. Once a Sorceress ages a certain amount, she stops physically aging."

"A certain amount as in... say, seventeen?"

The doctor laughed again. "Like your looks?"

"Well, my boyfriend does." Squall frowned upon saying that. She hadn't seen or spoken to Shibiru since she got back to the Garden. Not to mention he probably didn't know that she was a Sorceress _or_ a Galbadian. He might hate her now.

Dr. Kadowaki must have seen her concern in the look on her face. "Hey, Shibiru still loves you. I don't think I've ever seen any boy in love a girl as he is. It's crazy, really."

**Squall** sat on her bed, just staring att he ceiling. Her life had been turned upside down in less than twenty-four hours, and all she could do was let it happen. She sighed and laid down. All she could really think about, however, was her dad. Laguna Loire. Headmaster Cid said that he was still alive. So where was he? Did he know she was still alive? Did he know where she was? If she could track him or Ellone down, she'd do it.

Anything to be with her family.

There was a knock on the door. "C'mon in," she said. The door opened and Selphie walked in. She sat down on the bed beside Squall. "What?"

"So, what's it feel like?"

"What's what feel like?"

"You're a Sorceress, right? A natural-born Sorceress? What's it feel like."

"Nothing. I don't _feel_ powerful. I don't even feel semi-powerful."

"Wow."

"Who told you?"

"Headmaster Cid explained it when Quistis and I got back yesterday. "

"Did anybody tell Shibi?"

"I did. He's worried about you. Honestly, almost everybody is worried about you."

"What do you mean 'almost everybody'?"

"Well, news does travel fast in this school."

"Great, so everybody knows?"

"Yeah. Sorry. Nobody's really treating it like a bad thing, y'know."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"I guess that explains why nobody's been treating me like shit since I've been back." She sat up. "Do you know where Shibi is? I'm gonna go talk to him."

"I think he said something about the Training Center."

"Okay. I'm gonna go see him. Bye."

**Squall** was absolutely right about where Shibiru was. The small 'couples' room in the back of the Training Center. He was staring out at the panorama of the Garden. Just as the night Quistis had shown her, it was a beautiful sight to behold, even in daytime.

Shibiru was leaning against the railing, just staring out at the expanse. Squall wasn't even sure he'd heard her come in. She walked up to him and leaned against the railing herself. He reached out and touched her face, brushed her hair away from her eyes. For some reason, she just felt like she'd betrayed him.

"You know what it feels like to hear from some... dumbass Trepie that your girlfriend is a Sorceress? I wanted to punch him. I wanted to... It didn't bother me. What bothered me is how he said it. How he treated it. Like it was some kind of 'you're a douche' thing, or something. He pissed me off _so much_. Xu had to hold me back. I didn't like doing that to her. My own damn sister had to hold me back." He laughed. Squall was happy to see him crack a smile, even if it was in response to something that had angered him. "How are you taking it?"

"I'm taking it the only way I can: with fear. There's _never_ been a benevolent Sorceress. I feel so scared because I don't want to hurt Quistis, or Selphie, or Zell. Especially _you_. Jesus, I don't even want to hurt _Seifer_. It all scares me, Shibi. I feel like my whole life has been stripped away from me. Like nothing about me makes sense anymore." She turned away. "I wish I knew what was going on with me."

Shibiru gently turned her face back toward him. "I'm gonna help you. I'm gonna make sure you know who you are._ What_ you are."

Squall smiled. "Thank you."

"If there's anything you need, I'll make damn sure you get it. I'll be like... I dunno, your guardian, or something. Like your knight."

Squall laughed. "Knights carry swords. You don't, I do."

"Yeah, but you can't be your own knight."

"A knight. Hmph... Like in those old fairy tales about good Sorceresses my dad used to..." she trailed off. Where had that come from?

"What is it?"

"I just... I kinda had a memory of my dad..."

"Yeah, so? Everybody has 'em."

"Not _me_. I didn't even know who my dad was until yesterday."

"And yet you have memories of him?"

"This is the first."

"I'm sure it's nothing. Shouldn't you have happy memories of your parents?"

_Except I'm still trying to understand why my dad ditched me and Ellone. If he even ditched Ellone. Maybe he ditched me because of what I am._

**Squall** couldn't concentrate on her classes. She kept wandering off to the dream she'd had at Galbadia Garden. Something about it seemed odd—besides the obviousness of her not being able to remember something that happened before she was born (and probably led to her birth). Quistis, next to her, socked her in the arm. "What's going on with you?" she whispered.

"I'm just... I had a weird dream yesterday. It was about my dad."

"So?"

"Well, I don't remember my dad at all. Not only that, I was seeing it through his eyes. I saw my mom and my older sister. I can't get it out of my head now."

Instructor Jaden turned around. "Ms. Leonhart, Ms. Trepe, do you have something you'd like to share with the class?"

Squall and Quistis both said, "No, sir."

He nodded. "Good. Being members of SeeD does _not_ give you special privilege to whisper in the middle of class." He looked at Quistis in particular. "Neither does being a former Instructor give you this privilege."

Squall and Quistis both nodded. An hour later when they left class, Quistis said, "Wow, I was never that stuck up when I was the teacher."

"No, but you still didn't allow whispering."

"Yeah, I know. I'm starting to regret that. I forgot how hard it is _not_ to talk during class." She giggled. "Man, I sound like a teenager."

"You _are_ a teenager."

"I know, but I've been an Instructor for a year. I kinda forgot how to just be a regular girl."

"Like, say, blowing off class and heading out to Balamb for the rest of the day?"

"You serious?"

"Blame it on Selphie, but I think some shopping'll fix my head for a little while. Hey, speaking Selphie, we could bring her along, too."

Quistis looked like she was thinking about it, and then said, "Yeah. Let's go. I could go for some shopping right now."

They waited for Selphie to leave the classroom, then explained what their plan. She took to it like a fish to water, then the three of them were off for Balamb.

**Shibiru** shook his head. He and Zell were hanging around the classroom door, watching as Squall, Selphie and Quistis walked off. He'd overheard them talk about going shopping, and just sighed. Girls would be girls—even if one was a former Instructor who should have been a little more mature and another was a Sorceress with so much power inside her that she could destroy the world.

Zell blew a bubble, then popped it right next to Shibiru's ear. "God_damn_, man! What the hell? You have to pop that thing right in my ear?"

"Sorry. You just a little uptight 'cause your girlfriend's a Sorceress?"

"I'm worried about her, that's all."

"Dude, _everybody's_ worried about her. Worried if she's okay, worried if she's gonna blow the whole planet up—she's all everybody's talking about right now. Of course, she is the hottest chick in the school, so a good deal of the dudes around are just talking about her tits and her ass."

Shibiru shot Zell a glare. "I should punch you for that."

"Whoa, goin' jealous, there, my friend?"

He sighed. "Look, like I said, I'm worried about her. I shouldn't be, but I am, so... just ease through it, I guess."

"Hey, if I had a girlfriend like Squall, I'd be doing the same. Plus, she's, like, the _only_ nice Galbadian in existance."

Another voice came from behind them. "I'd like to think I'm a nice Galbadian." Shibiru and Zell both turned around. There stood a guy wearing cowboy get-up, including the hat. "Of course, I ain't never met somebody who's pissed me off enough to get me mad, so I guess I've only ever _been_ nice."

"And you are?" Shibiru asked.

"Irvine Kinneas. I'm the guy who escorted your girlfriend back home from Galbadia Garden."

"And you stayed?"

"Why not? Balamb's got hotter chicks than Galbadia. Well, that, and Headmaster Martine suggested it."

"Why?"

"I dunno. Maybe he knows something nobody else does. Maybe he's just a crazy motherfucker—who knows?"

Zell popped another bubble. "You got fifty bucks?"

"Yeah."

"C'mon, I've got something to show you."

Zell led Irvine away to somewhere. Shibiru didn't care. He just thought back to Squall. He hoped nothing happened in Balamb that would cause her freaky Sorceress powers to shoot out and kill somebody. If the world ever found out about her, she'd be hunted down and killed.

**Squall** was starting to understand why Selphie liked clothes shopping. Trying on six dozen outfits was more fun than fighting bite bugs and caterchipillars or even glacial eyes out in plains.

They had bought very few items, but together they had close to twenty different sets of outfits. And Squall had to admit, it was exciting thinking about what effect the outfits would have on the guys. _Shibi in particular_, she thought.

After about two hours of clothes shopping, the three girls collapsed on a bench set up by a fountain in the middle of the Shopping District. "Oh! I've never bought so much stuff in my life!" Selphie shouted. She stretched her arms out, nearly hitting both Quistis and Squall with her bags. "How about we go get dinner or something?"

"That sounds good," Quistis said. "I know a fast-food place a couple blocks away from here."

"Mmmmm... Good and greasy!" Squall said. "I haven't had fries in days."

"You mean you haven't had fries since you were a boy?" Selphie asked.

Squall had to think about that for a second. Selphie was right—it had only been four days since her training fight with Seifer that had changed her back into a girl. "Yeah... Actually, you're right about that. It's weird..."

Quistis asked, "What is?"

"Well, ever since it happened, I've felt a lot more normal than I did before. Maybe it has something to do with me being born a girl, or something."

"You were born a girl?" Selphie asked.

"Yeah. That last couple of days, I've learned a lot about me and my family. I know who my parents are, my sister, I even know what town I was born in. I know my mom made my dad pancakes on the day I was concieved."

"How do you know _that_?"

"I've been having some weird dreams. Dreams about a guy named Laguna, my dad. He was a Galbadian soldier almost twenty years ago, but, anyway, one of the dreams I had was about the day I was concieved, and it started with my older sister handing my dad pancakes that my mom made for him."

"God..." Selphie said, "no wonder you're what you are—your mom must make some funky pancakes!"

All three girls broke out into giggles. Squall was starting to feel a lot better after everything that had happened recently. She was happy she had such good friends.

"So, are we gonna go get food now? I'm starting to get really hungry after all this giggling," Squall said.

**Shibiru** was in his dorm when Headmaster Cid walked in. "Squall Leonhart, Quistis Trepe and Selphie Tilmit never showed up for any classes after noon. You know where they are?"

"No," he somewhat lied. He knew they were in Balamb, but not _where_ in Balamb they were.

"All right. Thank you, Shibiru."

"Headmaster, wait!"

Cid stopped in the doorway. "Yes?"

"Squall told me that you knew her parents."

"Yes?"

"I was just wondering, how come you never told her before?"

He didn't answer for a few minutes, then he finally said, "I made a promise to her father."

"You mean that Laguna Loire?"

"Yes." Cid looked down the hallway, then walked inside the room and closed the door. "He was my commanding officer during the Galbadia-Esthar Wars."

"You were a Galbadian soldier?"

He nodded. "Not by birth. I was born right here in Balamb, before the Wars. My parents and I moved to Galbadia because of job opportunites. Back when Galbadia wasn't a closet dictatorship like it is now. President Deling—the current President's father—was a benevolent man. Deling City was named in his honor because of his contributions to their society. I joined the army when I was seventeen. Twenty years later, the Wars started, and this... I mean, he was a strange man, Laguna Loire. You'll never meet another man who can somehow goof off in the middle of battle, yet take the battle completely seriously.

"He rose up quickly in the ranks because of how his men trusted him, myself included. This was a man twenty years younger than me and I felt as if he knew more about what he was doing than I did about myself. As the Wars started quieting down, several commanders were retiring. Laguna was no exception. He moved to Winhill, where he'd already met a beautiful young woman that my wife was friends with. Raine Leonhart. Four years before, he'd had one daughter with her, and after retiring and moving, he had another—Squall."

"So, your wife was Galbadian?"

"Heaven's no. My wife was born on a small continent south of Galbadia. She moved to Galbadia because she needed to—there were no opportunities of _any_ kind on her homeland. Anyway, five years later, I'd retired. I'd come up with the initial concept for Garden during the war, and my good friend Martine used it for Galbadia Garden. My wife and I were living on her family's plot of land in her homeland. We ran an orphanage. Laguna, holding Ellone's hand and carrying little Squall in his arms, came to me and asked me to watch after his daughters.

"Squall, he figured, would forget. The strain on her young body due to her powers had affected her memory. He told my wife and I and Ellone never to tell Squall that her father had to leave her to go help his friends. We all agreed."

"So, Squall's got a sister out there somewhere?"

"Ellone, yes. Both girls are as beautiful as their mother. They also have their father's temper and quick wit. Ellone, however, decided not to come to Balamb Garden after we'd set it up."

"How come Squall was... I dunno, disguised, I guess, as a guy?"

"Because of her power. She's the most powerful Sorceress in history, and if it hadn't become dormant for a period of time, it would have killed her. I'm still not sure seven years was enough, but I can only hope."

Shibiru sat down on his bed. "Do you know where her dad is now? Where her sister is now?"

Cid shook his head. "No. That day had been the last I'd seen Laguna, and Ellone disappeared shortly after Squall had been masked. She's still around, though, she still sends me messages every now and then. She knows what's happened with Squall and that I've told Squall about everything."

"So, maybe she'll show up again?"

"Maybe."

"This is all so... weird, I guess is all I can say. The other day, when Squall had woken up as a girl, I'd fallen instantly in love with her. I figured that what I was seeing was all she was: a guy who'd somehow grabbed the short end of the stick and ended up a girl. I didn't even think I'd have a chance with her. Now, she's my girlfriend and I find out she's a Sorceress, she's a Galbadian and that she's been this way her whole life."

"Does any of the last few things matter? Have those changed your look of her?"

"No. I still love her like I did when I first saw her in the infirmary that day."

"So, what? Is her being a Galbadian Sorceress by birth going to change your look of her?"

"No."

"Then don't dwell on them. I'm sure all she's dwelling on at the moment is her shopping and helping Selphie and Quistis pick out their own outfits." Shibiru looked up and saw Cid was smiling. "What? I know my students."


	10. The Mission to Assassinate a Sorceress

_**CHAPTER 9** – The Mission to Assassinate a Sorceress_

**Squall** and Shibiru had once again slept together. He'd explained to her what all Headmaster Cid had told him. She didn't like what she'd heard, but she understood what it was her dad had wanted. _Soldiers stick by their buddies, I know that. I'd stick by mine. Wow, I _am_ my father's daughter, ain't I?_ She wouldn't judge her dad for what he'd done. She was certain he'd weighed every decision. I had to be a hard thing to do to leave a nine year-old daughter and a five year-old Sorceress daughter with your friend.

When she woke up the next morning, the first place she went was outside. She watched the sunrise and remembered that that was exactly what her dad had done the day she was concieved. _Have I come full-circle, dad? You weren't that much older than me when Ellone was born. Is it my turn? I hope not, even though I do want to have a family eventually, I'm just not ready yet._

She sat on the ground. The sun was beautiful early in the morning. She always felt better in the morning. She found it easier to think.

Until she was interrupted by Quistis. "Where have you been?" she asked. "Headmaster Cid called us into his office five minutes ago!"

"Huh?"

"You, me, Selphie, Shibi, Zell, Xu and that Irvine guy from Galbadia Garden."

"That's a lot of people."

"Yeah, C'mon, let's go!"

Squall got up and followed Quistis into the Garden. The rest of the team was already in Cid's office, awaiting their orders. One person that Quistis hadn't mentioned was along for the ride, too.

Seifer.

"All right, students, I've called you all here because we have a plan," Cid announced. He stood from behind his desk. "As you all know, Galbadia is under the command of Sorceress Edea. Our plan is to end her rule over the continent."

Seifer piped up. "No offence to Madam Squall, or anything, but why do we care what happens to Galbadia? They're the enemy."

"Yes, but even worse an enemy is Edea. I mean no disrespect, Squall, but Sorceresses are a grave threat to the planet. Right now, a Sorceress is in control of the largest and most militaristic country on the planet. We need to do something about this."

"So, what's going to happen?" Selphie asked.

"Several of you have met Mr. Kinneas over there. He's Galbadia Garden's top sharpshooter. He's what'll make this whole plan work."

Squall finally asked, "What's the plan?"

"The plan... is to assassinate Sorceress Edea. Tonight, at a celebration in her honor."

"Assassinate a Sorceress?" Irvine asked. "That's never happened before. Nobody even knows if it can be done."

"Sorceress schmorceress," Seifer grunted out. "Anybody can die. So just use some Kryptonite bullet, or something. Blow her goddamn brains out with silver, that outta work."

Shibiru said, "She's not a vampire, Seifer."

"You're just defending her 'cause you're fucking one."

"This ain't the time, numbnuts," Shibiru held Squall closer, "and Squall doesn't need to take that from you."

_Man... Is this what it's like to have... a knight? Do all Sorceresses have knights? I feel so confused._

"Getting back to the subject at hand, please?" Xu said, stepping between Shibiru and Seifer. She turned and shot a look of disappointment at Shibiru. "Please continue, Headmaster."

Cid nodded. "Thank you, Xu." He cleared his throat. "The Sorceress will first address the citizens of Deling City in the square. After that, she'll get on a float and be taken through the city. The central gate is where we'll stop her so that Irvine can take the shot. Most of you will be charged with setting up the ambush. Seifer, Shibiru and Quistis will be escorting Irvine through the city to get to the rifle put in place by Headmaster Martine's people."

Zell asked, "Where'll the rest of us actually be?"

"You, Xu and Selphie will be in charge of making certain the gate goes down and locks Edea in place."

"Pbf! I get stuck with the girls."

"What about me?" Squall asked.

Cid sighed. "Squall... Both options get you too close to Edea. If you two get close... well, it's just not too good an idea for two Sorceresses to get close to one another." He scratched his head. "I'm sorry I couldn't elaborate more, but time is of the essence." He sat back down in his chair. "The vehicle Squall and Irvine arrived in will be your transportation."

**Squall** rested her head on Shibiru's shoulder during the flight. She wasn't sure she liked the implications she got from Headmaster Cid about her and Edea, but she figured he knew what he was talking about. Somehow, she thought that Cid knew Edea.

_Why do I have _that_ idea? What makes me think that Cid and Edea are connected somehow? So he knew my dad, that doesn't mean he knows her._

Seifer was sharpening his gunblade across from them. Zell was next to them, flexing his fingers. Quistis and Xu were next to Seifer. Both of them looked nervous. Selphie was next to her and Shibiru on Squall's side, her nunchaku wrapped around her waist. Irvine was constantly taking apart and reassembling his shotgun.

It was amazing what they all did when faced with impossible odds.

"Look, everybody," Quistis finally said, breaking the silence, "none of us is really ready for this. We're all nervous, we're all scared. Seifer won't admit it, but he is, too." Seifer just grunted. Quistis ignored him. "We're about to face impossible odds and we don't even know if this is going to work. We'll be lucky if we all come out of this alive. I think we just need to keep focus on that: getting out alive. No matter what."

"Don't worry, Quis," Seifer said, "we're all gonna make it. We're too damn young to die, y'know."

"Well, we just need to stick to Headmaster Cid's plan. Squall, General Caraway's sympathetic to our cause and is one of Headmaster Martine's friends. He said you could stay at his mansion until this all is taken care of."

"That's great. I'm sticking back while my boyfriend and all my friends are going off to a situation where they could die. Why did I even come along?"

"You've gotta have some part, too," Seifer spoke again. "Cid wouldn't have stuck you in with us if you weren't gonna be useful."

"Seifer, this is the most positive I've ever seen you. I mean _ever_. Is there something wrong with you?"

"Nah. I'm just happy to be out here doin' shit. Ya'll got to be SeeDs and get to go on missions, I had to get stuck at Garden doing jackshit."

"I'm not a SeeD," Irvine said, in a somber tone of voice. "I'm not even from Balamb Garden."

"I think, no matter what, we're _all_ SeeDs now," Shibiru said. "No... We're more than SeeDs. SeeDs just go around doing clean-up operations. We're going to assassinate one of the most powerful beings on the planet, deep into enemy territory, and all of us," he looked at Squall when he said that, "have a part to play. We're more than SeeDs."

"I just hope this doesn't go bad," Zell sighed as he spoke.

"Me, too," Selphie agreed.

"Me, three," Xu piped in. "I'd really like to meet a nice boy some day."

Squall nuzzled closer to Shibiru.

**General** Caraway's mansion was quite large, but after seeing Galbadia Garden, Squall didn't think she'd see anything close to that size.

"Ms. Leonhart?" General Caraway walked into the room he'd set up for her. "Do you need anything?"

"No, thank you, sir."

"Your Headmaster is quite bold."

"I just want them all to come out alive. I wish I didn't have to stick back and wait."

Caraway laughed. "You have your father's determination."

Squall lifted her head. "You knew my dad?"

"Laguna Loire was one of my finest friends."

She lowered her head again. "Why is everybody friends with my dad except me? Why does everybody _know_ my dad except me?"

"Your father was a friend to all. No one was below his notice."

"Except me..."

Caraway sat down next to her. "I have a daughter your age. She hates me every bit as much as you must hate your own father right now."

Squall shook her head. "I don't hate my dad. I just wish I knew why he left me and never came back."

"Certainly something important must have taken up his time. Contrary to popular belief, a man's daughter is not the only thing he thinks about, but Laguna loved both you and your sister greatly."

"And about Ellone, where the hell is she? How is it possible for your dad and your sister to leave you without being together? Headmaster Cid said that Ellone doesn't even know where Dad is."

"You remind me an awful lot of my daughter. If you could meet Rinoa, I'm sure you'd become fast friends."

"Rinoa? Rinoa Heartily?"

Caraway's face lit up. "You know Rinoa? Where is she?"

"I last saw her in Timber. She was trying to kidnap President Deling."

"She's a member of the Timber Resistance? Damn it!" He stood and slammed both fists into the wall. "I told her _not_ to get involved. She and her mother both were like that—always waiting to think until the last possible option had expired. What she doesn't know is that's how her mother died."

"I'm sorry."

He waved his hand. "It's not your fault, ma'am."

_Ma'am? I'm not royalty._ "I'm sure she's okay. She seemed like a tough chick."

"Hmph. I didn't want her to have to be. I tried to get her into the best schools, yet all she did was turn me down. 'Father, I don't want this' and 'no, Father, not that'. Nothing I did pleased her."

"I wonder if I'd have been that way to my dad, too."

He laughed. "Laguna Loire wouldn't have raised you in the kind of environment that I tried to put Rinoa through. In the end, I suppose it is my fault."

_So, in the end, the father of a rich kid gets hate, while the father of a Sorceress gets disappointment. Maybe I should treat my dad better. Maybe my kid's dad should treat their kid better. Maybe... Maybe I just don't know._

**Four** hours had passed. Nothing. The celebration with Sorceress Edea was less than an hour away. Shibiru watched as Irvine continued to do his hand exercises, while Seifer and Quistis were on the other side of the room.

He wondered how Squall was doing.

Quistis laughed at something. He didn't know what it was, but he assumed it was some kind of joke that Seifer had told. He almost considered going over and asking, but he didn't really want to know.

"Irvine," he said, "how's it going?"

"Oh, no bad. I mean, I'm about to attempt to kill a Sorceress, probably end up an enemy of the Republic, maybe even get taken out in a similar fashion to how I'm gonna take out the Sorceress. Who knows, maybe I'll even get batoned right down there once we come out of here."

Shibiru smiled. "Glad to see you're taking this well."

"Whaddya expect, man? I've got nothing. No family, no real friends, no girlfriend. They stuck me in this op because I'm expendable."

"No more than the rest of us."

"Nah, you guys are gonna make it out, I'm sure. You've got Squall, Seifer and Quistis over there are getting real cozy and I bet that Zell dick is banging both Selphie and that hottie Xu."

"That 'hottie Xu' is my sister, pal, and I wouldn't let Zell touch her with a ten-foot pole. And Selphie hits me as more like somebody who'd fall in love with _you_ instead of him."

"Still, everybody here has somebody except me. All of you have reasons to get out of here alive, I don't."

Shibiru shook his head. "There's gotta be something you wanna do with your life."

"Yeah, meet a cool girl, settle down, have a family. The only problem, I haven't found one girl yet that I'd have a shot with. None."

"You'll find somebody, I'm sure. Hey, if it helps, it took me years before I ever had a girlfriend, and I'm not letting go of Squall unless I have to. She's far too precious to me."

"You sure that ain't 'cause of some Sorceress thing she's got on you?"

"No. This is way too much like love, on both ends."

"See? I can't find anybody I love. It's like I keep missing the bullseye every time I try to ask a girl out. And I usually don't miss."

"You better hope you don't miss this time," Seifer said, walking over to them. "Otherwise, you won't have time to try and bang a chick later."

"Thanks, Mr. Optimisim."

"Doin' what I can for who I choose, buddy."

Shibiru asked, "What happened to you, Seifer? You used to be a major cockbite."

"Meh, the end of the world became a possibility, so I decided to wise up. Besides," he leaned over to whisper in Shibiru's ear, "she's got a whip. Babes with whips score huge in my book, and I wanna score huge in _her_."

"Shhh!" Quistis said. She was looking outside. "They're starting early."

**Squall** awoke in a room that was mostly white. She didn't know how she got there, or even where 'there' was. All she saw in front of her was a black chair. She was facing its back, so if anyone was in it, she couldn't see them.

_Okay... What's with the memory blanks? How did I get here?_

"Your questions will be answered soon, young one," a voice came from the chair. It was a woman's voice, and Squall assumed she knew who it was.

Edea.

"You seem to know what I'm thinking," Squall said, standing. She realized then that her jacket was gone. _Great, the _one time_ that it's cold, I decide to leave my jacket behind and wear a skirt. Good thinking, Sorcer-genious._

"A good Sorceress can read the fragile minds of those around her. Too bad you have yet to master this ability."

"Why should I know how to read minds?"

"Because, an even better Sorceress can _control_ the fragile minds of those around her. Even _I_ have yet to master this ability."

"Well, I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Perhaps you'll be my key to it."

"I seriously doubt that."

The woman in the chair stood, and Squall found she was right: Sorceress Edea stood and turned to face her. She'd only seen a picture of the woman before, and the face staring at her now scared her like none other. Edea's eyes had a look of pure hatred in them. "I'm glad I was able to steal you away from General Caraway for the grand show. How does it feel to be back on the continent of your birth? Winhill is only thirty miles to the south."

Squall concentrated for a moment. She could feel whatever power it was that connected Sorceresses. Edea radiated it far less than she did, but Edea also had a good forty or fifty years more experience with it. She was also holding nearly all the cards. Squall had no idea how she got where she was, and was still somewhat out of it, whereas Edea knew exactly what was going on and was in complete control of her sense.

Squall was outgunned in every way.

Edea continued speaking. "Interesting, you're gauging my power even now. You truly _are_ as powerful as they say. It's a pity, really. You could have been the greatest of us."

"Us? There aren't that many Sorceresses out there. In fact, there are only two right here: you and me."

Edea laughed. "How utterly naïve you are, child. Tell me, how do you plan to escape?"

"Can I break your neck and use your corpse to dig my way out?"

There was that laugh again. "How do you think my dear, sweet Cid would think about that?"

"Dear, sweet Cid? _Headmaster_ Cid?"

"None other, young one."

Squall's eyes widened in surprise. Headmaster Cid _knew_ Edea? Knew her enough that she would call him 'dear' and 'sweet'? What the hell was going on? "How do you know Headmaster Cid?" she asked.

"Cid and I have been dear friends for many many years. And here's a surprise: your mother and I were as well."

Squall was angry now. She wanted answers and the old witch in front of her was giving her nothing but cryptic half-answers. Something inside her raged. She raised her hand and lightning spread from her fingertips directly toward Edea. Edea, however, swatted the bolts away as easily as one would swat a fly.

"My husband puts too much faith in you, girl. He thinks you and your little band of friends will be able to kill me. He's dead wrong."

_Husband? You're Cid's wife?_ Just when Squall thought she'd figured out enough to keep going on normally, another brick hit her in the face. This bit of news shocked and surprised her.

Suddenly, something clamped Squall's wrists together behind her back. He legs were clasped together as well. An invisible force pushed her into the wall behind her. "I wish I could talk more, sweetheart," Edea said in a sweet, motherly tone that made Squall sick to her stomach, "but I've got a Republic to take control of. These imbiciles don't yet understand that they're giving me, an evil, hated Sorceress, the keys to the kingdom that I need to destroy Garden and SeeD once and for all."

"My friends'll stop you," Squall grunted out as another invisible clasp put itself around her neck, further keeping her attached to the wall. "They'll kill you, and we'll be heroes."

"I don't think so. I've seen the future, darling, and I know just what it holds for both me and for you." She smiled again. "Rest assured, this won't be the last time we meet."

_Thank you, you've made me absolutely certain that I get out of here._ Squall struggled against the nonexistant bonds that held her in place. Edea walked out of the room.

**Selphie,** Zell and Xu made their way back out into the street and into the crowd. They had planned to rendezvous with Squall back at Caraway's Mansion, but Xu noticed that the celebration had started earlier than expected. Now, President Deling was moving aside so that Edea could speak to the people.

Selphie wondered how Squall was doing, all stuck in the old man's mansion. Her question was answered by Caraway himself wandering through the crowd. He spotted Selphie and rushed over to her. "Squall is missing," he said.

"What? You were supposed to be taking care of her!" she shouted.

"I was knocked unconscious. I don't even know when it happened. One minute I was talking to her, the next I was waking up and she was gone."

"Dammit," Xu said, "Shibi's not gonna like this. If he finds out Squall's gone, he's gonna tear the city apart looking for her."

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" Edea said through the speakers. "It is a wonderous occasion! All of you stupid hypocrites, giving the Sorceress you pledged your lives to hating control over your most important city! Well, I'm glad you were all so stupid to let this day happen, because now I shall give you what you truly deserve! The death of the most evil Sorceress in existance!" As if on cue, the doors behind her suddenly opened. Two wolf-like creatures escorted a brown-haired girl wearing a white tank top and black skirt out of the building.

Selphie shouted, "Oh my god its—"

"Squall!" Shibiru couldn't control his anger. He watched as the woman he loved was pulled out of the Presidential Estate by two odd monsters. "She was supposed to be at Caraway's mansion!"

Seifer held his hand in front of Shibiru's face. "Calm down, lover boy." He turned to Irvine, "Change of plans, cowboy, take the shot now so she doesn't have a chance to execute Squall."

"I'm not sure I can. This rifle's specifically calibrated for me to hit Edea when she's locked down by the two gates that Selphie, Xu and Zell are supposed to do. If the distance is any further or closer, I'm gonna be off too much and I won't hit her."

Shibiru grabbed Irvine by the collar and shoved him into the wall. "Just take the fucking shot!"

"Okay, okay!"

Irvine walked over to the window and opened it. He set the rifle's barrel on the windowsil and spent precious seconds taking aim. Shibiru wanted to go over there and pull the trigger for him, but he knew that if Irvine wasn't dead center on Edea's head, it wouldn't hit her. He had to wait. He had to watch as Squall was circled by two dogish monsters.

"Okay," Irvine said, "I'm taking the shot."

He fired.

**Squall** heard the shot even from as far away as they were. Then, it was almost as if it was traveling in slow motion. She watched the bullet edge ever closer to Edea's face, and then with the calmness that she'd swatted away Squall's lightning, she swatted the bullet as well. It hit President Deling in the center of the forehead. He fell down, and the two wolves went after his body like they hadn't been fed in decades.

"See, I told you it wouldn't work," Edea said, and for a fraction of a second, Squall was certain she could hear another voice.

One that sounded very familiar.

The binds that held her wrists together were suddenly gone, and Squall concentrated. She was getting better at calling certain magiks forward, and with her mind, she willed an icicle into existance. She threw it directly at Edea, then the slow motion effect happened again, and once more, Edea easily stopped Squall's attack. This time, however, she didn't deflect it or simply swat it away. This time, she grabbed the icicle and threw it back at Squall.

The sharp object pierced her chest instantly and then, Squall felt cold. Colder than the icicle had felt in her hands. The air was escaping her lungs not through her mouth, but through the gaping hole in her left breast. She looked down at it and watched as blood dripped down from the hole. The icicle simply vanished, as easily as it had come into existance.

Squall fell to the ground, and then the whole world went black.


	11. Jailhouse Blues

_**CHAPTER 10** – Jailhouse Blues_

**Shibiru** awoke unsure of where he was. The room was nearly pitch black, with the exception of four purple lines, two on the ceiling and two on the floor. Neither gave off much light. He only knew there were other people in the room with him because he could see people's legs crossing the purple lights.

The actual lights kicked on seconds later. Now his cell—for that was what it was, a Galbadian prison cell—was illuminated correctly, and he could see Selphie, Xu and Zell on the floor beside him. Seifer, Irvine, Quistis and Squall were nowhere to be seen.

_Oh, God, Squall..._ He remembered it, now. Seeing the piece of ice that she herself had created lodged in her chest after Edea had caught it and thrown it back at her.

Xu's groggy voice said, "Mom, Dad? Will somebody turn out the lights?"

"Mom and Dad haven't seen us in years, sis."

She sat up and scratched her head. "God... What hit me?"

"I'd say it was that Galbadian soldier with the riot shield. Or the one with the machine gun. Or the one with baton."

She looked around at the others in the room. "Where's Seifer? Or Irvine? Or Quistis?"

"Not in here." He lowered his voice in sorrow. "Neither is Squall."

Xu put her hand on his shoulder. "Shibi, look... I'm sorry, but I don't think anybody could survive that."

He stood up. "I should have ran out there as soon as I saw her. What good is it being her boyfriend if I couldn't even take a goddamned icicle for her?"

Xu stood, too. "You know she'd rather die than watch it happen to you."

"But why did it have to happen to her? Why the hell was she even up there?"

Selphie and Zell woke up at once. "Whoa, hot stuff," Selphie said, in the same groggy tone of voice that Xu and Shibiru had both had. "Keep your voice down. Some of us are still trying to be unconscious."

Seifer's voice entered the room, next. "Not to mention the two people in the cell next to ya, lover boy."

"Seifer?" Zell asked.

"And me," Quistis answered.

"Is Irvine in there with you?" Selphie asked.

"No. It's just us."

"Squall's not in there either?" Shibiru asked.

"Sorry, Shibiru."

"Goddammit!"

A Galbadian soldier smacked the door. "Hey, shut up in there, willya?"

"Bite me, ya fuckin' moron!" he shouted.

"Whoa, lover boy's grown a backbone," Seifer said, mocking surprise. "Tell you what, how about you threaten all the guards in the place while we devise a cunning stategy to get out of here _and_ rescue your girlfriend."

"What are you talking about?" Xu asked.

"Jesus, didn't any of you SeeD's read up on your history? Seloma: crushed by falling rocks—survived. Adel: currently frozen in Esthar—still alive. Plus about a half dozen others that have survived far more than a simple icicle through the chest that our girl got."

"Yeah, but Squall's not as in-control as those others were," Quistis said.

"Anybody else see her make an icicle out of thin air? Or that weird aura coming out of her while she went down? Not to mention, I've known Squall for some time—she's a fighter. Few people have ever matched me in gunblade skills."

Zell laughed. "Good to see that gettin' locked up in prison hasn't taken away your ability to gloat."

"That'd be like stealing my heart, chicken-wuss."

**Squall** could hear something. Something distant. Something saying something. She couldn't make out what it was, or where it was coming from. The world just appeared in her vision as a dark blur for the moment. Gradually, more of it filtered in through the haze, but it was a long time coming before she saw anything correctly. When she did, small, furry creatures were dancing about. Their cries must have been what she heard.

They were saying, "Laguna."

"Whazzat?" she tried to say. "Howdoyou know mydad?"

As the world came into focus around her, she saw that she was strapped to a vertical bed. It was in a room completely metal. On the far side of the room was a single door.

It opened.

Two shapes walked in, but because of the light now spilling in from outside, they were truly little more than dark shapes. One appeared to be wearing a skirt.

Their voices weren't coming in right. One sounded high-pitched, and shrill. "Let her down."

The other was deeper-voiced. "Okay."

The straps holding her to the bed suddenly loosened, and Squall fell to the cold metal floor. She still couldn't tell who the two dark shapes were, so she started concentrating. She wouldn't let them hurt her.

"Hey, hey, hey," the shrill one said. "Calm down, miss teen Sorceress, we're not here to hurt you."

The deeper one asked, "Squall, can't you recognize us?"

"Notyet... you gotta come intofocusfirst..." She slurred out. "Allyouisis bigblackpeopleshapes."

"It's me, Irvine," the deeper one said. Squall had to admit, it was looking more and more like him. "I've got Rinoa with me, we're here to get you out."

"Irvine? Rinoa? Whatareyouguys doinghere?"

The shrill one—Rinoa—shook her head. "Stop trying to talk. You're just getting worse."

Her eyes adjusted to the light, and now she could see Irvine's distinctive cowboy hat, and the blue of Rinoa's minidress. They were both starting to come into focus. Irvine picked her up.

"Sorry, but you're all we're here to get," Rinoa said. "My father tried to get your friends out, but it was hard enough getting you out. In the end, he had to explain how Galbadian you are and _then_ the warden let you out."

"Yeah," Irvine laughed, "It's tough trying to get a criminal Sorceress, incarcerated for attempting to kill our new Queen, out of prison without arousing suspicion."

Squall's voice was starting to return. "New Queen?"

"Yeah," Rinoa said, "Edea has named herself Queen of the Galbadian Empire."

She couldn't believe it. An evil Sorceress takes control of a country, kills its current leader, tries to kill a complete and total stranger, and she's allowed to name herself Queen? The world was going to Hell. That was the only thing she could say with absolute certainty anymore. The world was going to Hell.

They passed several security checkouts, and at every one, Rinoa had to tell them who she was, what she was doing there and why she having an enemy of the Empire taken out of the facility.

When they were finally in the garage, Squall saw that the car laid out for them was just a normal car—not some fancy car, or some military vehicle, but a normal car with four wheels and four doors. Irvine carefully laid her in the back seat and then got in the driver's seat, Rinoa beside him.

Then all hell broke loose.

An explosion blew the door leading into the garage straight out, barely missing the car. Then, several people ran inside the garage. It took a Squall a moment to realize who they were: Shibiru, Seifer, Quistis, Selphie, Zell and Xu. They quickly ran past the car and got into two separate army vehicles.

"Follow them," Rinoa said to Irvine. "We need to get Squall back to her friends."

"You got it, ma'am."

**Seifer** noticed the car when they were ten miles out from the prison. It had been following them. "Anybody else see that black sedan back there?" he asked. "Anybody know who they are?"

Quistis looked through the window in the back door. Her face lit up with joy. "It's Irvine and Rinoa!"

"Irvine and who?"

"Rinoa, she's the girl who hired Squall, Selphie and me to go to Timber."

"How the hell did Irvine manage to escape incarceration, anyway?"

Selphie answered, "He's from Galbadia Garden, technically he's a Galbadian soldier."

"Technically, so's Squall."

"She's just Galbadian by birth, she's not an actual member of the Galbadian military."

"Anyway," Quistis said, "stop the truck, Seifer, stop the truck."

"Your wish is my foot hitting the brakes, Quis."

All three vehicles stopped. Zell, Shibiru and Selphie got out of their truck and joined Quistis, Seifer and Selphie. Irvine and Rinoa exited their vehicle as well. "Man are we glad to see you guys," Irvine said, cracking a smile and hugging Seifer. Seifer wanted to beat his brains in. "And, we've got a special present for you guys. Rinoa, show 'em what they won!"

Rinoa reached into the back seat and helped someone out of the car. She was somewhat bruised, and her tank top was torn where the icicle had gone through her chest, but it was definitely Squall. Shibiru quickly ran over to her and grabbed her, holding her in his tight embrace.

Seifer said nothing, but he was happy she was still alive.

Quistis, Selphie and Xu also ran over to her and gave her hugs. Seifer hadn't seen this much of a love display since he saw that movie about some Sorceress and her knight back when he was a kid.

"Okay, okay, we're glad you're back," Seifer broke the scene, "but we've got one helluva serious problem on our hands, here."

"What is it?" Rinoa asked.

"Galbadia's gonna shoot missiles at Balamb and Trabia Gardens."

Selphie's eyes widened. "Trabia, too?"

"Wait," Zell said, "ever since we woke up, we've all been together, how the hell you know this but we don't?"

Quistis said, "You guys were still asleep when we woke up."

"Okay, and you didn't feel like mentioning this then?"

"We needed to get out first. Escape was the key."

"Whatever the reason," Squall said. Her voice was somewhat slurry, "we need to do two things: Stop those missiles and warn the Gardens. When are they launching them?"

"Early this evening. Five, maybe six."

"Okay, that gives us plenty of time to get back to Balamb while some of us also head out to where ever those missiles are coming from to stop them."

"So, who does what?"

"I can't stay," Rinoa said. "I've gotta get back to my father."

"Who's your father?" Selphie asked.

"General Caraway."

"I _knew_ there was something fishy about that old guy!"

"Selphie, calm down," Shibiru said. "Okay, so we split up. Seifer and I'll go back to the Garden."

Seifer didn't like that Shibiru was deciding things for him. Sure, he was going to go to the Garden _anyway_, but he wanted to say so himself.

"I'll come, too," Zell said.

Xu said, "If it's all right, I'm gonna go with Irvine and Rinoa back to Deling City."

"How come?" Shibiru asked. Xu walked over to him and whispered something in his ear. Squall could obviously hear it, because she started giggling. "Oh, okay. You be careful, sis."

"Of course."

"So," Quistis said, "I guess that just leaves me, Selphie and Squall to go to the missile base."

Shibiru looked down at his girlfriend. "You be careful, too, Squall. Don't go using any of your special Sorceress powers."

"Oh, you can count on that, babe. I'm not using those for _at least_ another twenty or thirty years."

"Okay, so it's decided. Xu, Rinoa and Irvine are headed back to Deling City so that Rinoa can go back to her daddy. Squall, Selphie and Quistis are going to the missile base to try and stop those missiles. And Shibiru, Zell and me are going to try and warn the Gardens," Seifer said. "Everybody clear?"

They all nodded in agreement.

"Okay, then," Squall said, trying to stand up without assistance. Shibiru steadied her. "Okay, then, we're all agreed. As they say in the movies, 'May the Force be with us all.'" No one spoke for a moment after that, then Squall asked, "Didn't anybody else see that one? It had a cool little green alien with big pointy ears and a really hot dude going evil? Anybody?"


	12. Missile Base

_**CHAPTER 11** – Missile Base_

**The** trucks had Galbadian soldier uniforms and helmets in the extra footlocker at the back. "So, these things'll fit us?" Selphie asked.

"They should," Quistis answered.

"They smell funny," Squall said, "Do we need to wear them?"

"_Yes,_ Squall. Would you rather we just run in there and beat the shit out of people? Then we'll fail and the missiles'll be launched at the Gardens."

"Not like I can even do anything. My gunblade's back at the Garden."

"Who says you can't use your cool Sorceress powers?" Selphie asked. "Don't you have to whip 'em into working shape, anyway?"

"Yeah, and suppose Edea's there?"

"Squall's right, Selphie," Quistis said, "We need to prepare for anything. We'll all carry machine guns inside, that way we look like real Galbadian soldiers."

"And if they notice our curvy figures?" Selphie asked.

"Well... Sorry, Squall, but you're kinda the big problem, there."

"You mean because I've got bigger boobs than both of you?"

"Yeah."

"Blame it on genetics, girls. My mom just had some hooters, okay?"

Quistis and Selphie both giggled.

When they arrived at the missile base, the guard at the front gate tapped on the window. "What you got in there?" he asked.

"Just some extra equipment," Quistis said, doing her best to try and sound male.

"Something wrong with your voice?"

"Just... ah..."

"Look, if you think you're gonna sound tougher if you try to impersonate a guy, you're failing greatly. I don't understand why you chicks think you need to be tough so damn much."

"Sorry," Quistis said, dropping the fake tone. "Something my boyfriend asks me to do. Sometimes I just forget to stop doing it."

"Boyfriend, eh? Weirdo, if I ever heard of one."

"Yeah, he can be pretty, uh, funky."

He waved his hands toward the parking zone. "Just park over there and head on inside. There's an inspection team running through the base, so don't be surprised if you get shoved aside by some wise ass inspector."

"Thanks, we'll be fine."

Squall slung the machine gun over her shoulder and waited for Quistis to park the car. She smiled as she thought about the days when her dad had probably done this very same thing, except he probably didn't have to stop missiles from being launched.. She hoped they succeeded.

"Okay, everybody clear on what we're doing?" Quistis asked.

Squall and Selphie both said, "No."

"Good," she had an undercurrent of nervousness in her voice, "'cause, neither do I."

They all exited the car, rifles slung over their shoulders, and walked inside the base. Quistis used a security card she'd found in her uniform on the card reader, and that gave them access to the inside of the base. The base was a large amount of metal corridors, all containing patrolling guards. The three girls just did as the soldiers did—patrolled.

They made it from the front door to the first basement level without incident. As they walked past a soldier guarding the door to the power room, he shouted, "Stop!" The three girls froze in place. He then walked around them and inspected them. "You three walked in a perfect single file line. Your parents must have taught you _excellent_ manners."

"Thank you, sir," Squall said.

"And you're polite, as well. That's great!"

"I'm sorry, sir, but we're in a hurry," Quistis said.

"Yes, yes, go on."

As soon as they were out of earshot of him, Squall whispered, "That guy was weird."

They walked along further, to the second basement level, and found a second stairwell that led to the control room. Problem was, they needed a different keycard to get inside.

"Good God," Selphie said. Squall turned around and saw both her and Quistis looking down past the railings at the lower basement levels. Squall herself looked down and saw exactly what they saw.

As far as the eye could see, missiles. There were hundreds of thousands. Hundreds of _millions_. There were more missiles down there than the population of the Galbadia continent. It was almost like looking at a mirror that was positioned at a mirror—all you saw were the same things for miles.

They had to destroy this place, now. Not just stop the missiles from launching, they had to destroy the place. There were far too many missiles. Even if they stopped the ones that were set to launch, they could just launch more.

They couldn't be allowed to.

"Hey, you!" someone shouted. The three girls turned and saw a man had come out of the launch room. "Get in here, we could use some help."

"Yes sir," Quistis said for all of them. They followed the soldier into the room, were two troops were trying desperately to push a launcher into its bay.

"We need help getting this launcher into the bay. You girls gonna be strong enough to help move it?"

"Of course," Selphie said, putting on a tone of false toughness.

"Good. Now get your asses over there."

They each took position to the sides of the two men already pushing. Squall grunted with exertion—the damn thing was heavy. She decided it wouldn't hurt to use just a little bit of her Sorceress power. She concentrated and enhanced her strength and pushed. Now, the launcher was moving steadily into the bay. Selphie almost lost her balance as the launcher moved without her help.

After the launcher settled into the bay, Squall watched the soldier that had ordered them to help. He had a small keycard on his belt. She concentrated again, and the keycard came off of his belt and slowly ended up on hers. No one suspected a thing, either.

"Get back to your assigned area. Thank you for your help."

"You're welcome, sir," Squall said, saluting him.

When they were out of sight, Selphie said, "That was mean, pushing the thing with your mind and not warning us ahead of time."

"Yeah, well, I think I made up for it with this," she held up the keycard. "Tada!"

"You stole that off of the guy who asked us for help?" Quistis asked.

"Nope, I used my powers and took it from him."

"So, you stole it with your mind?" Selphie asked.

"I _mind took_ it!" Again, no one said anything. "Does nobody watch cartoons anymore?"

Quistis took the card from Squall and walked over to the card reader beside the door to the control room. She swiped the card, and the door opened, revealing a somewhat medium-sized room with dozens of computer terminals spread around it. A Galbadian officer was standing on the far side of the room. "Who's there?" he asked. He turned around and saw the three of them standing there. "What are you doing here?"

Quistis stepped forward and saluted. "Inspection, sir. Queen Edea wants to know the status of the missile launch."

The officer stood there for a few moments, then his hand slipped toward a button on the console behind him. "Bullshit! Queen Edea herself came here earlier for her update. You're imposters!"

"Who are we impostering?" Squall asked.

"Is 'impostering' a word?" Selphie asked in response.

"I don't know. I'm flunking English."

Dozens of guards entered the room, each pointed their weapons at the girls and kept their fingers close to the trigger. The officer stepped forward. "You're three of those escapees from the prison, aren't you?"

"I'm not," Squall said, "but I stand by my friends."

"Then you're the teen Sorceress. Queen Edea will be delighted when I kill you. All of you, fire!"

Squall just reacted when the bullets started raining down on them. She stepped in between Selphie and Quistis and just closed her eyes. Her arms were pointing straight to either side. When she opened her eyes, they were surrounded by thousands of stopped bullets floating around them like some kind of shield. "Whoa... I didn't know I could do that."

"See, I _told_ you to use your Sorceress powers, but who was reluctant, huh?" Selphie was smirking.

"Selphie, the more I use these, the quicker I turn evil, and I don't wanna do that, okay?"

"Oh... well... nobody told me that."

"Squall, can you shoot the bullets outward and hit the consoles?" Quistis asked.

"With or without killing any of the soldiers?"

"At this point, I just want the bullets gone, I don't care where they go. You're not the only girl who wants to get back to her boyfriend."

Squall concentrated for a second, then felt a force pushing away from her. All the bullets flew outward, hitting everything in their path. Soldiers dropped to the floor, consoles exploded. The officer was the only one left standing when it was all over. He looked around at the carnage that surrounded him. "What the hell is wrong with you?" He pressed a button on his wristguard. "Ha! I just launched the missiles at the Gardens! All has gone according to Queen Edea's command!"

Squall was angry, now. She pulled her machine gun from her shoulder and threw it as hard as she could at the officer. It hit him, barrel first, in the chest. He looked down at the weapon that had impaled him and then went ragdoll and landed on the floor.

"Nice throw," Selphie said.

"We've gotta get outta here, c'mon!" Quistis shouted.

They ran quickly as a self-destruct warning resounded throughout the complex.

**The** officer had one last bit of life left in him. He reached for his wristguard and pressed another button. Elsewhere in the complex, a large tank activated and rolled outside.

**Squall** was the first to make it back to the door they'd come in. All around them, Galbadian troops were running for their lives.

_Iwannagohome Iwannagohome Iwannagohome_

She was tired. Most of her energy had been spent just healing the icicle hole that had been in her chest. Then came the exertion she'd put out to move the missile launcher, then taking the keycard, then finally catching and deflecting the bullets back at the soldiers that had fired them. There was very little of her that didn't ache.

"We're almost outta here, Squall," Quistis said, catching up. She, too, was out of breath. "We just need to get back to the car."

"Yeah, well, I dunno about you, but I want my old clothes back. These smell weird and they're really,_ really_ itchy."

"At least we didn't have to wear their underwear."

"God, I can't even imagine what military panties must feel like."

"Or military bras," Selphie piped in, finally reaching them. "Those things must hold you down to nothing."

"God, now you make me wonder if they've even _got_ military bras in my size," Squall said.

"C'mon, girls, enough!" Quistis said. "But, now that you mention it, I _would_ like to see Squall squeeze her boobs into a way-too-tight army bra."

The three of them giggled as they got outside. Suddenly, however, Squall was very nervous. Soldiers had been running for their lives not five seconds ago, yet the entire parking area in front of the missile base was empty. No cars except for the one they came in (which she assumed no one had stolen because Quistis had the keys). Instead, a large tank was blocking their exit.

"It's them!" a soldier shouted. "Blast them!"

"Oh, shit!" Squall shouted, pushing Quistis and Selphie out of the way. The tank's cannon fired a round directly at the spot they had been. It zoomed past them and into the wall behind. Nothing remained of the wall. "Run!"

Quistis and Selphie both got to their feet and made a mad dash for the car. They were inside in under a second. Squall, however, stayed outside. She knew it wasn't going to feel good, but she used her powers to stop the next shell inside the cannon as they tried to fire. Blood was dripping from her nose. _Maybe I'm not the uber-powerful Sorceress they think I am..._ She couldn't dwell on that. She just continued to hold the shell in place until they fired.

"Something's wrong with the cannon!" the operator shouted from inside the tank.

"Fix it, dammit, and shoot these bitches!"

"I can't sir! Something's holding the next shell in place!"

"Just goddamn _fire_!"

The operator must have done as he was told, because then the tank exploded. The soldier outside giving orders was disintigrated by the blast, and it shook the ground violently. Squall released her concentration and collapsed to the ground. She was exhausted.

Quistis was back out of the car and at Squall's side in seconds. "C'mon, Squall, we've gotta go!"

"Don't ever let me do that again..." she managed to whisper out. "I hurt so much..."

"Don't worry about it, you can rest in the car," Quistis' voice took on a motherly tone, and for a second Squall thought she could hear someone else inside there. Someone familiar.

_Don't worry about it, sis, you can rest when we get back home..._

Squall's vision was doubling. Quistis turned into two people, but one of them wasn't Quistis. It was a brown-haired girl, probably only nine or ten. She looked _so_ familiar, but Squall couldn't tell who she was.

_C'mon, Squall, let's get home before we're late for dinner!_

"I wanna just sleep here..." Squall whispered out, a familiar response to a statement from long ago. "I don't need to eat right now..."

"Who said anything about eating?" Quistis asked, but Squall didn't hear her.

_Ell... Ell! I didn't mean it! Ell! I wanna go see Daddy!_ "I wanna go see Daddy..."

The ground continued to shake all around, but Squall wasn't paying any attention. Her mind was lost, replaying a scene from years ago, when she and her older sister were playing in the hills near Winhill, their father waiting for them to come home...


	13. Emergency Situations Call for Something

CHAPTER 12 – Emergency Situations Call for... Something

**Seifer** loved the weird plane-thing that Galbadia Garden had let them use to fly to Deling City for the assassination. He loved it even more now that he, Shibiru and Zell had stolen it to fly back to Balamb Garden, so that they could save the lives of countless students.

He wondered when he'd gotten so honorable.

That wasn't to say he was dishonorable. He had a very high moral code, it just had to get broken sometimes for him to do what he pleased. Now, however, he just followed that code. He didn't get why, but something told him it had to do with Quistis. If she hadn't come into his life, he'd have nothing but Fujin and Rajin to hang back on.

Not that Fujin and Rajin weren't his friends. They were still his friends. But, now so were Shibiru, Selphie, Quistis especially, Squall, Xu, Irvine and even that chicken-wuss Zell. He cared about Quistis the most, however. She was the one thing he never wanted to lose.

"Hey, Shibiru," he tapped him on the shoulder, probably waking him up, "how you think the girls are doing?"

"I guess we'll find out if some missiles hit our home and blow it up while we're on our way to save it."

Seifer snorted. "Funny sense of humor you got."

"Humor's supposed to be funny." He finally opened his eyes. "Are you worried about them?"

"You tellin' me you're not scared to death for your girlfriend?"

"Of course I am. Even if Squall is the most powerful Sorceress the world's ever known, she still doesn't have complete control over those powers, nor does she even know what she can do with them. I honestly wish she was with me right now."

Seifer leaned against the wall. "I know how you feel."

"Quistis?"

"Yeah."

"How'd it happen?"

"What?"

"A few days ago, she hated your guts. What changed?"

"A few days ago, the guy I used to spar with, act like I was better than and try my damnedest to prove it turned out to be a chick. A lot changes in you when you've got no more competition. The night of your little SeeD party, she dropped by my dorm and asked to hang out."

"And one thing led to another and now you're worrying about paying child support?"

"Nah, nothing like that. I've never, y'know, banged a chick before."

Shibiru laughed. "You're kidding?"

"Nope. I act tough, but I'm practically just a scared little boy on the inside, man." He shrugged. "The really fucked-up part about it: I don't even remember what made me act like that in the first damn place."

"So, you grew up, and now you don't understand why you didn't to begin with?"

"That sounds about right."

"Girls can do that, man. I don't know a single one that can't."

Zell was snoring off to Shibiru's side. "How about Selphie and that dope?" Seifer asked.

"Good point."

**The** Garden was in a complete and total uproar when they finally arrived. People were running around, monsters were everywhere, Garden Faculties were shouting. Complete chaos.

"Looks like we didn't have to tell them missiles were coming," Seifer said.

"I don't think the missiles have anything to do with this," Shibiru responed.

"Let's just find Headmaster Cid and tell him about the missiles," Zell said, running ahead. When he reached a Garden Faculty, he asked, "Where is Headmaster Cid right now?"

The Faculty turned his hat to Zell and said, "The weasel won't show his face."

"Weasel?" Zell, Shibiru and Seifer all asked.

"Garden Master NORG is taking control of what is rightfully his, and we support him. Who do you side with?"

"Who the fuck is NORG?" Seifer asked.

"You do not know the Garden Master? He controls all!"

"Not me, douchebag."

"You shall learn the meaning of servitude, Seifer Almasy." The Faculty pulled out a whistle and blew. "You'll pay for choosing Headmaster Cid!"

A Buel and a T-Rexaur were suddenly there, almost as if they'd been teleported there. Perhaps that was some kind of power the Garden Faculties had, Seifer didn't know. All he knew was that he needed to kill the Buel and the T-Rexaur, otherwise they'd kill him and his friends. "Get ready!" he shouted, drawing his gunblade. Shibiru pulled out his odd-shaped blades. They were curved blades, with round guards that completely covered his hands. He held them back-handed. Zell clenched his fists. "Shibiru, go for the T-Rexaur's legs! Zell, get the Buel!" Seifer pulled in, then jumped up. "I'm goin' for the big bastard's head!"

They did as they were ordered. Zell punched the Buel directly in its stupid-looking face. It went down with one hit, just like he knew it would. Shibiru slashed at both legs of the T-Rexaur in one stroke, knocking the thing to its prehistoric knees. Seifer landed on its flat-topped head and jammed his gunblade into its skull. It screamed in agony, then fell to one side, its blood pooling around its body.

The Garden Faculty looked at it in shock, then turned and ran. "Yeah, you better run, asshole!" Zell shouted after him.

"Good job, chicken-wuss," Seifer said, patting him on the back as he walked by.

Shibiru walked up beside him and asked, "Do you think this is going on all over the Garden?"

"I'm damned certain it's going on all over the Garden. The question is: where does the Headmaster of Garden hide when his school is going nuts?"

They all three answered: "In his office."

"Thank God!" Cid said when the elevator stopped. "I was wondering if you had made it out alive! What about the others?"

Shibiru said, "Look, Headmaster, Squall, Selphie and Quistis are trying to stop missiles from being launched at both Balamb and Trabia Gardens. If they didn't succeed, we need to get everybody out of the Gardens ASAP."

Cid's eyes widened. "Dear Lord... I'll contact Headmaster Yantz at once."

"What about this Garden?"

"The whole place is in chaos, right now. I'm not sure which students are on my side or NORG's. He's managed to turn everyone against me all because of the failed assassination attempt on Edea."

"Well, everybody still needs to know that their asses might end up dead in a little while," Seifer said.

"I know, I know. One of you tell them. I'll—"

A television next to Cid's desk was showing the smoldering remains of Trabia Garden. _"This just in, Trabia Garden, it seems, was just destroyed by missiles that appeared to have come from Galbadia. This has happened after Queen Edea's announcement that she will start annexing other regions into Galbadia. Trabia, it seems, has been the first to fall."_ The anchorwoman appeared very frightened.

"Oh, Jesus," Zell gasped. Shibiru was certain he hadn't meant to speak.

Things had gone from bad to worse.

"Well, we have no other choice... Look, boys, take this," he held out a keycard. "Then, use the elevator. Go down to the basement levels. Follow the signs, they'll lead you where you need to go."

"Where we need to go?" Shibiru asked.

"This place was already here when we established Garden—all three buildings were. We don't know what they were for, but there's something underneath that's for use in just this sort of occasion."

"So, the Garden's builders designed the building for missiles being launched at it from a hostile nation?" Seifer asked.

"Just, follow the signs down below."

**The** basement of the Garden was extensive. They'd gone down several elevators, descended two ladders, opened up an iris-like drain and fought two strange oil-like monsters that had gone up with fire. Shibiru was growing tired of all the monsters and just wanted to get it over with.

They had reached what seemed like the end of the line. It was a small room with few buttons on a control panel. "So, what do we do?" Zell asked. "Do we just start hitting all the buttons, or what?"

"Why the hell not?" Seifer asked.

"Let's just hope we don't blow the damn Garden up ourselves."

Shibiru walked up to the control panel and started pressing buttons. He couldn't tell if it was working or not, but he hoped it was. He kept pressing the buttons until he heard a noise. Then the platform they were on began to ascend. It continued straight up until it stopped—in Cid's office.

The ground began to shake. All around them, glass broke. Outside, something strange was happening. The ring that was somehow suspended above the Garden began to lower. Within minutes, it had pushed the Garden itself above it, and now the ring was just above the ground.

"We've got a problem!" Seifer shouted. They all turned to look outside and saw what he meant. The missiles were headed straight for them. "What do we do now?"

Cid had climbed up the platform and was now pressing buttons rapidly. The ground started shaking again, and then the mountain that the far window was fixed on started to shrink away.

The Garden was moving.

The missiles, however, continued on their course. They hit the spot the Garden had been and sent gravel, rock and debris flying everywhere. None of them, though, hit the Garden.

The Garden continued to move. It came deadly close to the city of Balamb, but Cid pressed some more buttons and it veered toward the sea.

"I'd say this is a really bad fucking time to tell ya'll that I get a little seasick when our school starts floating on water!" Seifer shouted, grabbing hold of a pillar. Shibiru braced himself with a pillar on the far side of the room. Zell and Headmaster Cid held onto the control panel in the middle of the room. "Do we have water wings on this thing?"

The Garden slowed as it continued through the water. Eventually, it slowed to a very constant pace and sailed smoothly though the water.

Cid stood up, helped Zell up and leaned against the control panel. Shibiru and Seifer walked over to them. "So," Shibiru said, "now what?"


	14. Going Back Home

_**CHAPTER 13** – Going Back Home_

**Two** days later, Squall felt much better. In fact, she felt as though nothing had happened at all. Her head was no longer spinning, she no longer saw double and she wasn't seeing things from over twelve years ago anymore.

They had stopped in a clearing somewhere near where Galbadia Garden used to be. Somehow, the whole thing had up and left. There went any chance that Headmaster Martine would keep them secret and safe until they could get back to Balamb Garden. Assuming there _was_ a Balamb Garden. Squall didn't like to dwell on thoughts like that. They made her feel sick to her stomach.

"So," Quistis started, "we're in a car that's out of gas, we're stuck in a hostile nation, we've got no clue whether or not our home is still there and we've got no way of knowing whether or not it'll still be there."

"Home..." Squall whispered.

"What is it, Squall?" Quistis asked.

"Oh, I was just thinking... Winhill's only about a mile or so away from here."

"What's Winhill?"

"My hometown. Well, more like a village."

"Why don't we go there?" Selphie asked.

"We don't know what'll be there," Quistis answered.

Squall said, "It's just a quiet place, only families and old, retired people."

Quistis took a few moments to respond, then said, "Okay. We'll go there. I just hope this isn't a bad decision."

**Twenty** minutes later, they stood at the sign that marked off the entrance to Winhill. Just as Squall remembered it, it was mostly farmland at first. She vaguely remembered playing with Ellone in the fields, getting her dresses or her overalls dirty. Her life before her dad had left her at Cid's orphanage had been easy and simple.

A far cry from recent events.

"So, where did you live?" Selphie asked.

"In town. C'mon, it's just down this road."

They walked for another mile through the farmland and wound up in the town of Winhill, also how Squall remembered it. The 'town' itself was basically just a few houses and stores and the mayor's office situated around a large cobblestone town square, the center of which was a large marble fountain.

And, exactly where she remembered it, was her mom's bar.

Tears began to well up in Squall's eyes. She hadn't expected it to still be there. Raine Leonhart (or Loire) had been dead for seventeen years, and yet the building stood just as she remembered it. Just as her dad had kept it after her mom had died.

She walked up to it. A memory of skinning her knee on the front step came rushing into her head. Her dad picked her up and brought her inside to clean it up and put a band-aid on it. The memory made her start to cry again.

"C'mon, Squall," Quistis said, putting her arms on Squall's shoulders. "We don't have to stay here, we can find someplace else."

"No," Squall said through her tears, "I've gotta do this."

She opened the door and walked inside. The barstools, the tables, the bar itself—everything was as she remembered it. She knelt down by the door and wiped a little dust away from a spot on the floor where she and Ellone had carved their names into the wood. Beside that were two stick figures of girls with long hair—the two sisters.

The stairs were just as creaky as she remembered when she walked up them. The place where her parents had made love (and made _her_) was right in the doorway to the right. That led to a small bedroom. Another memory came rushing forward—Squall finding her dad sitting on the bed in the room and crying. _What's wrong, Daddy?_ she'd asked. _Nothing, sweetheart_, he answered, though his tears, _I'm just thinking about Mommy, okay?_

Squall started crying again. The place where she'd been concieved, and it was also the last place her parents had ever been together. Nine months later, and Raine Leonhart had died giving birth to the most powerful Sorceress the world had ever seen.

"Who's there?" someone asked. Squall turned around and an old woman was standing in the doorway. "I'm sorry, do I know you?"

Squall dried her face. "I don't know, exactly. I... I'm Squall Leonhart, my mom used to own this bar."

"Leonhart... Leonhart... Oh, oh, Raine's daughter? Raine's youngest daughter?"

"Yeah. Yeah, that's me."

"Oh, dear, I'm so sorry. You've grown so much, it's so difficult to tell. I haven't seen you since you were a little girl."

"So, you know me?"

"Yes, dear," she sat Squall down on the bed, then sat down herself. "My name is Lucrecia Loire. I'm your grandmother."

"My grandmother? I... I didn't know I had any grandparents left."

"I'm one of the last, I'm afraid. Your grandfather died over thirty years ago, and Raine's father was dead when I moved here."

"So, when was that? And what about her mother?"

"Oh, I'd say about ten years ago. Your father asked me to come and take care of the bar and his house. And, as for her mother... I'll tell yo that story later. Why, the last time I saw you, you were about four. I remember you and your sister playing in the mud right outside the house."

"My sister... Do you know where Ellone is?"

"I'm sorry, dear. No more than I know where your father is."

Squall lowered her head. "It's alright... I guess one family member's fine for now."

Her grandmother smiled. "That's sweet, dear."

"Laguna had a soft spot for Raine the first time he met her." Squall's grandmother poured tea into Quistis' cup. She thanked the elderly woman. "He told me, 'Mom, I've met and angel, and her name is Raine'. I laughed and said, 'Isn't that what you said about Julia Heartily?'"

"Heartily?" Selphie asked. "Wasn't that Rinoa's last name?"

Squall answered, "Yeah. Julia married General Caraway a couple years after my parents met."

"Well," her Mrs. Loire continued, "as soon as I met Raine, I wondered—no offense to your father, dear—but I wondered why a woman that beautiful would want Laguna Loire. The man had been in more wars than I can count before he was twenty years old. He had scars, shrapnel burns and goodness knows what else, and still he tried to pick up every woman he ever saw.

"Well, Laguna and Raine hit it off well when he stopped in Winhill for his leave one day. That was the day Ellone was concieved. After that, every chance he got, he snuck away from his base and into Winhill to see both your mother and his first daughter."

"So, when did he come to live here for good?" Quistis asked.

"That was when Ell was about four. The Galbadia-Esthar War had almost ended and Laguna was already set to retire. He was twenty-six and had already gotten farther ahead of some soldiers who had entered the service decades before him. Laguna was a man who rose up quickly because he made friends with the right people—his fellow troops."

"Dad was really popular with his compatriots?"

"Yes, dear, he was. Your father was loved by all. When he asked Raine to marry him, she said yes before he'd even finished asking. Sadly, that didn't last long. It was only two years before you were born, and your mother died in childbirth."

"All because I'm a Sorceress..."

"If that's what someone told you, you were misled."

"Whaddya mean?"

"Your mother was a Sorceress, too. So's Ell. If your being a Sorceress had anything to do with it, then how did she live past Ellone to have you?"

"Wait, I come from a _family_ of Sorceresses?"

"Dating back as far as I know, dear. Your mother, Raine's mother, her grandmother—all the way down the line. I wouldn't be surprised if you were a descendant of the first Sorceress."

"So, there have been a lot more natural-born Sorceresses than anybody knows about?"

"Yes. Your whole line. Adel and that other one weren't all. And when you think about it, how could they be? Neither one of them was the first Sorceress. Surely the first Sorceress was born that way."

"Did any other members of my mom's family turn evil? Any of the other Sorceresses, I mean?"

"Oh, certainly. I'm sorry to tell you this, but it kind of runs in the family. Raine's mother was the last, though. Of course... she's still alive."

"She is?"

Mrs. Loire nodded slowly. "I hate to be the one to tell you this, sweetheart, but Raine's mother was Sorceress Adel."

"Adel is my grandmother?"

"Yes."

Squall slumped back in her seat, a dour expression on her face. "God, I just keep learning things about my family I'm not sure I wanted to know..."

"I'm sorry about all of this, sweetie."

Squall shook her head. "It's alright, Grandma... I guess it's just my fate to end up a big bitchy Sorceress in the future."

_**Huh?** Where am I? Hello! Ah, crap, am I in Dad's memories again?_

Laguna could have sworn he'd shut that voice out years ago, but every so often it came back. He was sitting on his front porch, watching Ellone and Squall chase each other around the fountain. Those two girls brightened him up every day. Ellone was eight, and was starting to grow into a real beauty. Squall was only three, but she, too, was going to end up beautiful.

Just like their mother.

A tear fell from his eye as he thought about Raine. He blamed himself for her condition. If he had seen it earlier... If he had just known the symptoms... Even being among the world's oldest living line of Sorceress hadn't stopped Raine from dying of cancer. Childbirth had been too much for her. And every bit of her power, every bit of her strength was transferred into Squall.

"Daddy, daddy!" Squall ran up to him. She was out of breath. "Daddy, Ellone ran off to docks so I can't catch her!"

"Alright," he picked her up and put her on his shoulder, "let's go get your sister before she ends up hiding there all day."

Laguna carried Squall with him down the rickety stairs to the Winhill Port (named so because there was little else to call it). He saw why she had run down there, and it wasn't to get away from little Squall in their game of tag.

A Galbadian Navy ship was pulling into the docks.

Laguna walked down the dock to where Ellone was standing. She looked concerned. "What's going on, Dad?" Ell had given up calling him 'daddy' the day she became a big sister to Squall. That kind of depressed him. He thought it was cute that she called him 'daddy'. Oh, well, he still had Squall to call him that for a few more years.

"I dunno, sweetie." He set Squall down on the docks and straightened her. "Keep close to each other, okay? Ell, don't let your sister fall into the water; Squall, don't let your sister push you into the water." He walked out to the gangplank of the ship and waited for their captain to come down. He was more than a little surprised that it was General Caraway. "General, nice to see you again."

"Please, Laguna, neither one of us is an active military officer, don't call me 'general'."

"Sir, I'm not entirely certain I've ever known your first name."

"Well, don't take that too personally. Very few people do. Ah! Those your little girls?" He pointed to Ell and Squall. "Beautiful little munchkins, I'll say."

"Thanks. You know how it is when you become a dad, right? How's Julia? She bear you any kids yet?"

"Just one." He turned and looked back up at the boat. "C'mon, dear, and bring Rinoa with you!"

Julia Heartily-Caraway—still as beautiful as Laguna had thought her almost seven years ago—walked down the gangplank, carrying a little raven-haired girl who couldn't have been much older than Squall. She was wearing a little blue dress and black boots, holding a puppy in her arms.

"Hello, Laguna," Julia said, smiling, "it's been a long time."

"It has, it has. So, this is your little daughter? Rinoa, was it?"

"Hello Mr. Loire," Rinoa said, politely.

"You know my name, sweetheart?"

"Daddy talks about you all the time."

Laguna looked up at Caraway. "Does he, now?

"Yep, and he says you're the bestest friend he could ever have."

"Bestest friend, huh?" Laguna stood up. "Didn't know you liked me _that_ much, General."

"Laguna, I've told you more than once that you're the finest soldier I've ever trained, and the best man I've ever met. I was sorry to hear about Raine, though."

"Yeah, me too."

"Was Raine your wife?" Julia asked.

"Yes, she was." He knelt down to Rinoa again. "Tell you what, Rinoa, how do you feel about getting dirty and muddy while you're playing?"

"I do it all the time, but Daddy doesn't like it."

"Okay then, see those two girls over there?" He pointed to Squall and Ellone. "Their names are Ellone, the taller one, and Squall, the one that's about your size. They'd love to play with another girl. Tell 'em to show you their favorite spot, okay?"

"Okay!" She looked up at Julia. "Can I go, Mommy?"

"Of course you can, sweetie. Just be careful, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy!" Rinoa ran off and introduced herself to the two girls, then the three of them ran off up the stairs and back out into the town. The girls' favorite spot was out in Old Man Ursan's farm. Plus, Old Man Ursan loved to see the girls. If the man wasn't a hundred and twelve, Laguna'd worry that he was a pedophile.

He turned back to General Caraway and Julia. "So, what brings you to the neighborhood?"

"Vacation. We haven't left Deling City in such a long time, we felt it was necessary." Caraway poked his thumb at the boat. "This was just a gift from some of my Naval friends. They gave it to us for a wedding gift."

"Huh... All I got was a notice of my wife's cancer."

"I'm sorry, Laguna."

"Don't be. The doctor said that nine times out of ten, the patient doesn't even know they have that type of cancer until it's too late. And Raine's final days were pleasant and peaceful."

**They** didn't talk at the docks for long. Laguna brought them inside the bar and treated them to his famous 'Winhill Whiskey', a drink which five people before them had tasted. Of course, two of them were his young daughters. He decided to leave that part out.

The conversation was little more than their family lives. Julia and the general told Laguna about how they'd gotten married, why they got married and the circumstances that led to the tryst that brought Rinoa into their lives. Laguna talked about how he and Raine had met, about Ellone and about Squall.

He didn't tell them that Squall and Ell were Sorceresses. No one could ever learn that unless it was absolutely necessary. They'd be hunted, all for something they couldn't control.

"Your daughters are beautiful, Laguna," Julia said, "but you look worried about something."

"No. Nothing."

Caraway looked at him, sternly. "Laguna, I won't lie to you. There's another reason we came to see you."

"What is it?"

"Raine was smart to cover it up on her papers, but we do know that Adel was her mother."

"And now you're going to tell me that you know she was a Sorceress."

"Yes. And, I'd like you to be honest with me, are Ellone and Squall?"

"Uh-huh."

Caraway sat back in the chair. "I was afraid of that." He sighed. "Have either of them shown signs yet?"

"They're eight and three, respectively."

"I see. So, Ellone's not that far off."

"No, she's not. But they won't go bad easily. Neither one's gotten any negativity from me, and all of the people in this town knew that Raine was a Sorceress, too."

"I hope you're right."

"I _know_ I'm right."

_Wow, General Caraway knows that I'm a Sorceress..._

Laguna pushed the voice away again. He slumped forward in his seat. "Are you suggesting I do something about them now?" He looked directly at Caraway. "They're my only daughters."

"I know, Laguna, and I'm not suggesting that at all." He leaned back in his chair. "I'm just suggesting that you keep a good eye on them. Preferably two."

"I will. Don't worry. Squall and Ell won't become problems."

**Squall** sat up in the bed, breathing heavily. She turned on the lamp next to the bed and slowed her breathing. In the next bed over, Selphie stirred. "Turn the light off, Squally. Some of us _not_ living through our parent's memories are trying to sleep..."

"Wait, did you see that?"

"Uh-huh... you and your sister were cute as kids..."

"Selphie, get up, talk to me about this."

Selphie sat up, pulling her left bra strap back over her shoulder. "What is there to talk about? You were stuck in your dad's memories."

"You were, too?"

"Well... actually, I was seeing stuff from General Caraway's point of view. How's come you never told me your dad was hot?"

"Well, how's about 'cause he's my dad?"

"Okay, good point. But what is there really to talk about?"

"Nobody else ever saw that except me. I kinda wanted to know what it felt like to you."

"It felt like..." she trailed off, as if trying to find the right words, "well, it felt like I was just a passenger. And it was really creepy because I was looking down at my hands and they were really somebody else's. Seeing somebody else's life is just weird. I hope I'm never around you when you fall asleep again."

Squall frowned. "Wow, _that_ makes me feel good about sleeping with my boyfriend again."

"Sorry."

"I wonder how Shibi's doing..."

"I bet he's okay."

"I hope so." Squall laid back down in her bed and shut off the light. "I _really_ hope so."

**The** next morning, Squall awoke, happy that she hadn't had any more flashbacks to her dad's life. She considered asking her grandmother about it, but decided not to.

She walked out onto the cobblestone street that made up the town square and her own memories started surfacing. Mostly just times when she and Ellone were playing was all she saw. Every now and again a memory of her dad popped in.

_Am I angry at him?_ she asked herself. _Am I just pissed off that he left me and Ell? Am I pissed off at Ell for leaving me? Why am I so screwed up? I hate my life... I hate it, I hate it, I hate!_

She sat down on the bench on the porch and just stared.

A cloaked figure came up the road. Squall could tell it was a woman by the body shape, but her face was hidden by a hood. The cloak she was wearing was blue, and she had a green sash coming down from her shoulder, around her waist, and then finally it was trailing behind her. Part of it was wrapped around her arm, as well.

Something about her seemed... familiar. She walked right past the bar and the house and walked up to the mayor's place. Without knocking, she just walked right in. The door then closed behind her. Squall was intrigued, now.

She thought about going up and knocking, but decided against it. Instead, she walked around to the back of the house and, while keeping low, peeked in the windows.

"It's nice to see you again," the mayor greeted the woman. She didn't remove her hood. "I haven't seen you for years."

"I know. I haven't had time. I still haven't been able to find him."

"He'll turn up, somewhere."

"I hope so."

"And...?"

"Safely at Balamb Garden, or, somewhere else."

"You heard about the missile launch? And the assassination attempt on Edea?"

"Yes. I saw it—well, the Garden, anyway. I saw it floating in the water towards Fisherman's Horizon."

_The Garden is floating? The Garden _moves_?_

"I hope she's either aboard or somewhere else that's safe."

The mayor leaned back in his seat. "Me, too."

The girl pulled back her hood and revealed her face. Squall's eyes widened. The face that stared at her now, she hadn't seen since she was a little girl.

She shouted, "Ellone!" and jumped up, hitting the window between them.

Then she blacked out.

**Squall** awoke some time later, back in the bed that she'd slept in. She sat up and rubbed her forehead. "Owwie..." she said, whimpering.

The door opened and footsteps came around the bed until Ellone sat down in the chair next to the bed. Squall studied her face. Both of them looked like their mother, with little of their father visible in their features. Both of them had light brown hair that fell to their mid-back.

"Wow... I never thought I'd see you again," Ellone said. A tear slipped down her face. "You've grown up, a lot."

Squall felt a tear fall down her own face. "Yeah. You, too."

The two sisters embraced. Both of them giggled for a few seconds as they hugged. Neither wanted to let the other go. Finally, they each pulled away from the other and calmed themselves down. "Man, I haven't been this happy in years," Ellone said. "Maybe together we can go find Dad."

"Ell... why did you leave me alone?"

Ellone lowered her eyes. When she spoke, she raised them again and looked straight at Squall. "I didn't do it on purpose."

"What does _that_ mean?"

"I was kidnapped."

"Kidnapped? By who?"

"Sorceress Adel."

"As in, Grandma Adel?"

"You know about that, huh?"

"Grandma told me."

"Well, I guess you should have known."

"So, what happened?"

"Dad came to my rescue, then put me on the first plane back to the Centra continent. I haven't seen him since."

"So, is he still in Esthar?"

"I doubt it. But, I don't know."

Squall sighed. "Well, that's a story for another day, what's this about the Garden _floating_?"

"Well, Headmaster Martine told me once that the Gardens were once fortresses built by some ancient civilization."

"You know Headmaster Martine?"

"He dropped by a lot when we were kids. You were too young to remember."

"Not to mention my memory's all screwy."

"Right. Anyway, Martine told me that he thinks the Gardens were more than just fortresses. He thinks they were once airships."

"Wow..."

"I know."

"So, the Garden is in the air right now, flying to Fisherman's Horizon?"

"No, actually, it's in the water."

"So, it's a boat right now?"

"Pretty much."

"Oh..."

"Why aren't you there?"

"My friends and I went to stop the bombing of the Gardens, while my boyfriend and a couple other guys were sent to Garden to warn them."

"Boyfriend?"

"Shibiru. I hope you'll meet him later."

"I hope so, too. My little sister has her first boyfriend? This is something I've _got_ to see." They giggled for a few seconds.

"This is Quistis," Squall introduced the older girl. She had dark brown hair, and was wearing an orange dress over a black leotard. "And the one chowing down on toast at the table is Selphie," she pointed to the girl in the yellow overalls-dress with oddly styled brown hair. Selphie waved while eating the toast laid out on the plate in front of her. "So, that's my team."

"The boys go off and save the school while the girls do the dirty work?" Ellone asked. "Isn't that kinda shitty?"

"That's just how it ended up," Quistis said, "not like it storming that missile base was difficult, or anything."

Selphie spoke with food in her mouth, "Yeah, you shoulda seen Squall shoot bullets back at people with her mind, and then blow up a tank!"

Ellone turned to look at Squall. Squall blushed. "What? It was the heat of the moment and my life was at stake." She turned her head. "Not to mention the lives of my friends. The safety of my school, too."

Ellone nodded. "Even though it was useless."


End file.
